John Dillwyn Llewelyn (Welsh, 1810-1882)

Pwlldu Point from "Caswell Bay", circa 1852

Albumen print from a paper negative

17.3 x 21.5 cm

Caswell Bay, near Penllergare, was the site of a Llewelyn beachside cottage and a frequent location for photographs for both John and Thereza. Its geological formations, including caves exposed by the tide and plant life, especially seaweeds, were constant sources of inspiration, but the landscape and the sea were ever-present. In 1853 and 1854, Llewelyn gained fame and royal recognition for his studies of the waves in Caswell Bay.

John Dillwyn Llewelyn (Welsh, 1810-1882)
The Orangery at Penrice, seat of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot, MP, circa 1854
Albumen print from a collodion negative
19.0 x 24.2 cm

John Dillwyn Llewelyn (Welsh, 1810-1882)
Penllergare and surroundings, circa 1856
Collage of 12 albumen prints within a decorative border
32.0 x 26.0 cm mounted on 45.4 x 35.6 cm paper
Three lower prints titled "Sewin", "The Shanty" and "Woodcock" in ink on mount

John Dillwyn Llewelyn was a magistrate, a distinguished botanist and a founding member of the Royal Institution of South Wales. Many of his images were made around his country seat in Penllergare, near Swansea, and around the Welsh coast. Llewelyn was a cousin by marriage of William Henry Fox Talbot who taught him the process.

John Dillwyn Llewelyn (Welsh, 1810-1882)
Lady Emlyn (Sarah M. Cary Compton-Cavendish, d. 1881), 1850s
Salt print from a collodion negative
7.7 x 8.9 cm, trimmed oval