Lawrence Collection ~ Ireland 1890 Photographs of Towns and Villages at the turn of the 19th century

The PHOTOGRAPHS in this series are the best from the Lawrence Collection which shows the character of Irish Towns and Villages around 1880 to 1910. On the 20th March 1865 at the age of 24 William Mervin Lawrence opened a Photographic Studio opposite the G. P .O. at Sackville street Dublin. Over the years the studio successfully photographed the length and breadth of Ireland from Howth Head in the East to Achill Head in the West ,and from Malin Head in the North to Skibbereen the South). The collection consists of 40,000 glass plates mainly from the period 1880-1914, but some plates go back to 1870.Lawrence was not himself a photographer, but an early entrepreneur,He opened his Studio in his mother's toy and fancy -goods shop (see photograph right)At that time there was great interest in Studio Portraits and he employed a portrait photographer. At that time his brother, John Fortune Lawrence, took stereo photographs and William took a keen interest in them ,and took over the sales.He employed a team of printers, artists (colourists and retouches). In 1880 when the dry plate process came in William Lawrence employed Robert French as his chief Photographer French was born in Dublin and spent some time working in the Royal Irish Constabulary, then joined Lawrence Studio, and he worked his way up as printer, artist and then assistant photographer. He took over 30,000 photographs of the "Lawrence Collection".

Rubrik: Fotografen :: Portrait :: Irland -

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