New exhibition at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, UK reveals the very first pets ever to be photographed. A History of Photography (Through Pets) highlights historic photographs of animal companions from the museum’s collection, the earliest of which dates back to the 1830s.
The inaugural piece in the exhibit, crafted by artist J.M. Burbank, employs the negative/positive technique pioneered by William Henry Fox Talbot in 1834, showcasing Burbank’s beloved cat. While resembling a delicate pencil sketch rather than a stark photograph, the image serves as both a technological triumph and a captivating portrayal of the feline subject. It also underscores Burbank’s modest yet significant contribution to the era, foreshadowing his subsequent display of animal studies across Britain in the 1830s.
Ruth Quinn, curator of Photography and Photographic Technology at the National Science and Media Museum, observed that the development of photographic processes can be traced through pet portraiture throughout history.
“Even in the earliest days of cameras and printing technology, our beloved pets have always been immortalised in photos,” Quinn said in a statement.
