Treasures from the Vaults

To select 40 or so images out of the 800,000 photographs in the National Collection of Welsh Photographs is no easy task. Wales despite its size is a diverse nation with linguistic, geographical and cultural differences. The collection reflects this, along with the numerous factors that shape the desire to photograph, be they political, financial, artistic, or simply the wish to invoke a sense of place.
This exhibition has been assembled with a view to showing the depth and breadth of the collection. It also brings together works by several of the best-known photographers of the 20th century. The National Collection of Welsh Photographs contains works by such dignitaries as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Bill Brandt, Angus McBean, Alvin Langdon Coburn and Robert Frank. Examples of their work are all on show here. The exhibition also includes photographs by less well known photographers, including Ron Davies, Geoff Charles, David Gepp, Paul White, Jeremy Moore, P B Abery and Gwyn Martin.
Welsh photographers have travelled abroad since 1845, when the Reverend Calvert Richard Jones ventured to the Mediterranean with his bulky wooden camera. As the 19th century progressed camera-laden sons of the gentry followed suit, shooting their way, sometimes literally, through the British Empire. Views from Norway, Spain, Italy, India, France and Yemen by more sedate 20th century Welsh photographers follow this tradition of travel.
The National Collection of Welsh Photographs doesn’t live in a dusty vault. All these treasures and many more may be searched and viewed by anyone with a valid readers ticket. Some of the collections are available in digitised form on our website already.