Room 5: Armoury

The photographs in this room are reproduced from a remarkable album in the library of the RSA. Around 1850, the British photographer Charles Clifford established a studio in Spain. His final commission before his death was to document the collection of the Royal Armoury in Madrid. His wife, Jane Clifford, worked alongside him and later took over the studio, making it likely that many of these photographs were taken by her. It has recently come to light that Jane Clifford was the first woman elected to the Photographic Society of France, and her exceptional skill is clearly demonstrated in the Royal Armoury photographs. 

Photographing objects of such complexity and capturing their intricate detail demanded considerable technical expertise. Jane Clifford employed the most advanced photographic process of the day, exposing glass negatives using the wet-collodion process and producing albumen prints. The negatives had to be prepared immediately before each exposure, requiring both speed and precision. Their low sensitivity also resulted in long exposure times, making careful control of natural light essential. Many of the objects were therefore probably photographed outdoors. 

In both technical achievement and artistic vision, Jane Clifford's Royal Armoury photographs transcend the conventions of nineteenth-century documentary photography. Recognition of her contribution to the history of photography is long overdue. 

As a tribute to these photographs, Calum Colvin RSA has created a new work as part of his ongoing Don Quixote series. It references the celebrated episode in which Don Quixote mistakes the basin worn by a barber sheltering from the rain for the legendary Helmet of Mambrino, believed to render its wearer invulnerable. Colvin's work celebrates the transformative power of photography, light, and imagination.