- “J D Ll” 185-
This year is the bi-centenary of the birth of John Dillwyn Llewelyn (1810-1882), of Penlle’r-gaer, Swansea, a pioneer photographer whose work is featured on our Early Swansea Photography website. He contributed to the photographic developments of his era by inventing the Oxymel Process, which made it easier to take photographs out in the open air.
In 1856, John Dillwyn Llewelyn found that by preparing Collodion negatives with Oxymel, a mixture of honey and vinegar, it was possible to produce stable photographic plates, which could be kept for a week or two before exposing them in a camera, and could also be left for a few days before development. Therefore, landscape photographers no longer had to carry portable laboratories and darkroom tents with them to prepare negatives immediately before exposure.
The National Library has digitised its collection of John Dillwyn Llewelyn photographs, and one of my personal favourites is this group portrait of his children, which was most probably taken using an oxymel negative in September 1856.
"The Llewelyn Children" 1856
Here we have: John (left), William (in tent) and Emma Dillwyn Llewelyn (seated), with Caroline Traherne, a family friend (standing). It’s a very natural, relaxed portrait of the children playing outside and is of great contrast to the more formal studio portraits of its era.
Photography was a passion for many members of the Dillwyn Llewelyn family, and more of their photographs can be viewed on the website, with a selection also featuring on our Flickr Commons site too.
Siân Medi Davies, Assistant Librarian (Metadata), Digital Developments Section.