George Davison (photographer)
Encyclopedia
George Davison was a noted English photographer, a proponent of impressionistic photography, a co-founder of the Linked Ring Brotherhood
of British artists and a managing director of Kodak UK. He was also a millionaire, thanks to an early investment in Eastman Kodak
.
in London in 1874.
He began to make photographs in 1885, when he joined also in Camera Club photography society. He exhibited already his photographs on an exhibition of Royal Photographic Society
next year, where he became a member. He was influenced by naturalistic photography in the early phase of his work, especially from Peter Henry Emerson
.
However, Davison made experiments with different techniques and processes, and turned away from the naturalistic photography soon. He started to use a pinhole camera
for creation of pictorialistic
photographs as one of the first photographers. He made a picture called The Onion Field (originally named An Old Farmstead) in 1890, without sharp outlines on a rough paper, having an effect of painting. It is considered as the first impressionistic
photography. Nevertheless, Davisons' photographs became an object of polemics and controversy in the Royal Photographic Society
. He decided to leave the society and to establish a new companionship, the Linked Ring Brotherhood, together with other followers in 1892.
George Eastman
offered to Davison a position of Eastman Photographic Materials Company director in London in 1889. It was the start of a long-term connection between Davison and Eastman with Kodak. He left the place of civil servant in 1897, and became an assistant manager in Eastman Photographic Materials Company. His first task was to organize a big competition and exhibition of amateur photography in London. The exhibition was successful – it was visited by more than 25,000 visitors during 3 weeks.
Davidson became a deputy director of Kodak in 1898, and the director two years later. He made photographs and exhibitions till 1911, even he was busy in the company.
George Davison was interested in social reforms which linked him in contacts with anarchists. Therefore Eastman called him to resign on the director position in 1908. Davison continued to be member of board till 1912, when he left Kodak company. He moved in Harlech
, northern Wales
, and in Antibes
, southern France due to health reasons in twenties where he died in 1930.
He married twice, his second wife being Florence ("Joan") Anne Austin-Jones (c.1897-1955). She married second Malcolm Arbuthnot
.
The Linked Ring
The Linked Ring was a photographic society created to propose and defend that photography was just as much an art as it was a science, motivated to propelling photography further into the fine art world...
of British artists and a managing director of Kodak UK. He was also a millionaire, thanks to an early investment in Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
.
Biography
Even George Davison was born in a poor family of shipyard carpenter, he received a good education, and became a civil servant in Somerset HouseSomerset House
Somerset House is a large building situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, England, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The central block of the Neoclassical building, the outstanding project of the architect Sir William Chambers, dates from 1776–96. It...
in London in 1874.
He began to make photographs in 1885, when he joined also in Camera Club photography society. He exhibited already his photographs on an exhibition of Royal Photographic Society
Royal Photographic Society
The Royal Photographic Society is the world's oldest national photographic society. It was founded in London, United Kingdom in 1853 as The Photographic Society of London with the objective of promoting the Art and Science of Photography...
next year, where he became a member. He was influenced by naturalistic photography in the early phase of his work, especially from Peter Henry Emerson
Peter Henry Emerson
Peter Henry Emerson was a British writer and photographer. His photographs are early examples of promoting photography as an art form...
.
However, Davison made experiments with different techniques and processes, and turned away from the naturalistic photography soon. He started to use a pinhole camera
Pinhole camera
A pinhole camera is a simple camera without a lens and with a single small aperture – effectively a light-proof box with a small hole in one side. Light from a scene passes through this single point and projects an inverted image on the opposite side of the box...
for creation of pictorialistic
Pictorialism
Pictorialism is the name given to a photographic movement in vogue from around 1885 following the widespread introduction of the dry-plate process. It reached its height in the early years of the 20th century, and declined rapidly after 1914 after the widespread emergence of Modernism...
photographs as one of the first photographers. He made a picture called The Onion Field (originally named An Old Farmstead) in 1890, without sharp outlines on a rough paper, having an effect of painting. It is considered as the first impressionistic
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
photography. Nevertheless, Davisons' photographs became an object of polemics and controversy in the Royal Photographic Society
Royal Photographic Society
The Royal Photographic Society is the world's oldest national photographic society. It was founded in London, United Kingdom in 1853 as The Photographic Society of London with the objective of promoting the Art and Science of Photography...
. He decided to leave the society and to establish a new companionship, the Linked Ring Brotherhood, together with other followers in 1892.
George Eastman
George Eastman
George Eastman was an American innovator and entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company and invented roll film, helping to bring photography to the mainstream...
offered to Davison a position of Eastman Photographic Materials Company director in London in 1889. It was the start of a long-term connection between Davison and Eastman with Kodak. He left the place of civil servant in 1897, and became an assistant manager in Eastman Photographic Materials Company. His first task was to organize a big competition and exhibition of amateur photography in London. The exhibition was successful – it was visited by more than 25,000 visitors during 3 weeks.
Davidson became a deputy director of Kodak in 1898, and the director two years later. He made photographs and exhibitions till 1911, even he was busy in the company.
George Davison was interested in social reforms which linked him in contacts with anarchists. Therefore Eastman called him to resign on the director position in 1908. Davison continued to be member of board till 1912, when he left Kodak company. He moved in Harlech
Harlech
Harlech is a town and seaside resort in Gwynedd, within the historical boundaries of Merionethshire in northwest Wales. Lying on Tremadog Bay and within the Snowdonia National Park, it has a population of 1,952, of whom 59% speak Welsh...
, northern Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and in Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
, southern France due to health reasons in twenties where he died in 1930.
He married twice, his second wife being Florence ("Joan") Anne Austin-Jones (c.1897-1955). She married second Malcolm Arbuthnot
Malcolm Arbuthnot
Malcolm Arbuthnot was a pictorialist photographer and artist....
.