THE SOCIETY OF A.P.S.
A soirée was held on Wednesday at the Society's rooms in the Adelphi, with the object of exhibiting a large photographic collection, both British and foreign. The rooms were crowded, and any minute examination of the specimens became consequently impracticable ; but it is intended to open the collection to the public, when full opportunity will be afforded of looking into its beauties, and of estimating the great advances which this exquisite art—so superior within its limits to all "art"—has re- cently made. Not only in point of imitative perfection, however, but also in various other relations, much undoubtedly remains to be -done. Of the capacity of the process for ministering to practical social uses, two curious modes of recognition have lately been adopted on the Continent; the Swiss Government having ordered that photographic portraits of criminals be taken for the purpose of their future identification; and the Aus- trian authorities, that in all cases of serious railway accidents, a sun copy —the least " breaking-down " of all witnesses—be forthwith made of the results of the disaster.
Mr. Boger Fenton, an artist who has devoted much attention to the subject, read an informing paper on the photographic processes, at the soirée. He concluded by announcing that a Photographic Society is on the point of being constituted ; to which, as a body really needed, and certain, under proper management, to do excellent service in a most in- teresting field of inquiry and production, we heartily wish success.
Previous page
