James Craig Annan
Encyclopedia
James Craig Annan was a pioneering Scottish-born photographer and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society
.
The second son of photographer Thomas Annan
, James Craig Annan was born at Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
, Scotland, on the 8 March 1864. He was educated at the Hamilton Academy
, (described in the Cambridge University Press, 1910, as "one of the finest schools in Scotland") before studying chemistry and natural philosophy at Anderson's College, Glasgow (later to merge to become the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College; later again, the Royal College of Science and Technology
, and eventually becoming, in 1964, the University of Strathclyde
.)
James Annan subsequently joined his family’s photographic business, T. & R. Annan and Sons of Glasgow, Hamilton and Edinburgh, and in 1883 went to Vienna to learn the process of photogravure from the inventor, Karel Klíč
. James Annan introduced the photogravure process into Britain, and T. & R. Annan, having acquired the British Patent holder rights, were to become the leading firm in Britain in gravure photographic printing.
In 1891 James Craig Annan was elected to membership of Glasgow Art Club
as a "photographic artist." In 1893 he exhibited his own photogravure work at the Photographic Salon in 1893, as a result of which he was, in 1894, elected a member of The Linked Ring
, a select international group of art photographers. He also gave lectures to the Edinburgh Photographic Society, on The Arts of Engraving (December 1901) and Photography as a Means of Artistic Expression (May 1910.) In 1900 the Royal Photographic Society
invited Annan to mount a one man show, the first in a series of such shows at the Society’s new exhibition rooms on Russell Square, London, and he was subsequently awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Society.
He exhibited further, at the Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901; the Paris Salon; the 1910 International Exhibition of Pictorial Photography at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery
in Buffalo, New York
and in 1904, the Royal Commission for the Saint Louis World's Fair
chose Annan and Sir William Abney
to represent Britain on the International Jury for Photography, Photo-process, and Photo-appliances.
James Craig Annan was to influence the development of photography in North America through his work being exhibited at Alfred Stieglitz
's Photo-Secession
Galleries in New York, and being featured in the American photographic periodical Camera Notes
, published by The Camera Club of New York
from 1897–1903 and of which Stieglitz was editor, and featured (1905,1909, 1912) in the quarterly photographic journal Camera Work
(published by Stieglitz in New York between 1903 and 1917.)
James Craig Annan died at Lenzie, near Glasgow
on 5 June 1946.
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...
.
The second son of photographer Thomas Annan
Thomas Annan
Thomas Annan was a Scottish photographer, notable for being the first to record the poor housing conditions of the poor. Born in Dairsie, Fife he was one of seven children of John Annan, a flax spinner....
, James Craig Annan was born at Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
, Scotland, on the 8 March 1864. He was educated at the Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
, (described in the Cambridge University Press, 1910, as "one of the finest schools in Scotland") before studying chemistry and natural philosophy at Anderson's College, Glasgow (later to merge to become the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College; later again, the Royal College of Science and Technology
Royal College of Science and Technology
The Royal College of Science and Technology, situated at 138 George Street in Glasgow, Scotland was the principal predecessor institution of the University of Strathclyde, and now serves as one of the main educational buildings of the campus.-History:...
, and eventually becoming, in 1964, the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
.)
James Annan subsequently joined his family’s photographic business, T. & R. Annan and Sons of Glasgow, Hamilton and Edinburgh, and in 1883 went to Vienna to learn the process of photogravure from the inventor, Karel Klíč
Karel Klíc
Karel Václav Klíč was a Czech painter, photographer and illustrator. He appears to be known as one of the inventors of photogravure ....
. James Annan introduced the photogravure process into Britain, and T. & R. Annan, having acquired the British Patent holder rights, were to become the leading firm in Britain in gravure photographic printing.
In 1891 James Craig Annan was elected to membership of Glasgow Art Club
Glasgow Art Club
Glasgow Art Club is a club for practicing and retired artists and lay members with an interest in the arts, that has become over the generations “a meeting place for artists, business leaders and academics.” - History and premises :...
as a "photographic artist." In 1893 he exhibited his own photogravure work at the Photographic Salon in 1893, as a result of which he was, in 1894, elected a member of The Linked Ring
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...
, a select international group of art photographers. He also gave lectures to the Edinburgh Photographic Society, on The Arts of Engraving (December 1901) and Photography as a Means of Artistic Expression (May 1910.) In 1900 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...
invited Annan to mount a one man show, the first in a series of such shows at the Society’s new exhibition rooms on Russell Square, London, and he was subsequently awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Society.
Albright-Knox Art Gallery
The Albright-Knox Art Gallery is an art museum located in Delaware Park in Buffalo, New York. The gallery is a major showplace for modern art and contemporary art. It is located directly across the street from Buffalo State College.-History:...
in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and in 1904, the Royal Commission for the Saint Louis World's Fair
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
chose Annan and Sir William Abney
William de Wiveleslie Abney
William de Wiveleslie Abney FRS was an English astronomer, chemist, and photographer.-Biography:Abney was born in Derby, England, the son of Edward Abney vicar of St Alkmund's Derby, and owner of the Firs Estate...
to represent Britain on the International Jury for Photography, Photo-process, and Photo-appliances.
James Craig Annan was to influence the development of photography in North America through his work being exhibited at Alfred Stieglitz
Alfred Stieglitz
Alfred Stieglitz was an American photographer and modern art promoter who was instrumental over his fifty-year career in making photography an accepted art form...
's Photo-Secession
Photo-Secession
The Photo-Secession was an early 20th century movement that promoted photography as a fine art in general and photographic pictorialism in particular. A group of photographers, led by Alfred Stieglitz and F...
Galleries in New York, and being featured in the American photographic periodical Camera Notes
Camera Notes
Camera Notes was a photographic journal published by the Camera Club of New York from 1897 to 1903. It was edited for most of that time by photographer Alfred Stieglitz and was considered the most significant American photography journal of its time...
, published by The Camera Club of New York
The Camera Club of New York
Since 1884, The Camera Club of New York has been a forum to explore photography. Though the Club was created by well-to-do 'gentlemen' photography enthusiasts seeking a refuge from the mass popularization of the medium in the 1880s, it accepted its first woman as a member, Miss Elizabeth A...
from 1897–1903 and of which Stieglitz was editor, and featured (1905,1909, 1912) in the quarterly photographic journal Camera Work
Camera Work
Camera Work was a quarterly photographic journal published by Alfred Stieglitz from 1903 to 1917. It is known for its many high-quality photogravures by some of the most important photographers in the world and its editorial purpose to establish photography as a fine art...
(published by Stieglitz in New York between 1903 and 1917.)
James Craig Annan died at Lenzie, near Glasgow
Lenzie
Lenzie is a small town by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in the East Dunbartonshire council area of Scotland. It is about six miles north-east of Glasgow city centre and one mile south of Kirkintilloch. It has a population of about 10,000.-Name:...
on 5 June 1946.