Camera Work: A Photographic Quarterly (1904 (Heft 8))

J. CRAIG ANNAN.
EVER SINCE its initial appearance in the company of that of
other leading English pictorial photographers at the First
London Salon, the work of J. Craig Annan has stood out in
a bold relief and marked its creator as one of the foremost
artists in photography, not only of England, but of the world.
Executed in a manner that bespeaks a masterful knowledge of the technique
of the photographic media, and such long and intimate familiarity with the
classic language of art as enables him to express himself with a correctness
free from stiffness or affectation, his pictures, both by their essentially original,
refined, and healthy charm of theme and the mature firmness and sincere
directness of their expression, have been, since first they became known, one
of the most influential factors in the advancement of English pictorial pho-
tography. The convincing character of their real, original pictorial merit
and the sincere honesty and ability of their expression has won many friends
for the movement from the ranks of the general public on the one hand,
while on the other they have been incentive and inspiration of far-reaching
influence to Mr. Annan's fellow-workers through the entire photographic
world. While those who love beauty for beauty’s sake owe to Mr. Annan
a debt of gratitude for the great pleasure that many of his pictures have given.
J. Craig Annan was born in the town of Hamilton, some ten miles from the
city of Glasgow, in 1864. He was educated chiefly at Hamilton Academy
and Anderson College, Glasgow, where he devoted most of his time to the
study of chemistry and natural philosophy. These studies appear to have
absorbed his interest at first rather to the exclusion of pictorial work—some-
what, it would seem, to the disappointment of his father, Thomas Annan, a
professional photographer, who was himself distinguished for his strong por-
traitwork. Through his father’sinterest in art and personal connection with
E.O. Hill, R.S.A., whose wonderfully fine photograph-work of over half a
century ago still holds its place with the finest photo-pictorial work ever
produced, and his friendly intimacy with some of the foremost artists of
Glasgow, Craig Annan, from early childhood, moved in an artistic atmosphere
and had constant opportunity of seeing and hearing discussed pictures and
other works of art. In 1882 he went to Vienna to learn the secret of the
then new process of photogravure, which later he introduced into, and was
the first person to use in Great Britain; since which time it has been his
chief vocation, though his recognized business is that of a general pho-
tographer.
At an early age he acquired the habit of making photographic studies
for his own satisfaction, and this habit he has never allowed his profession
to interfere with, making those characteristic pictures that have charmed the
photographic world on the one hand, while doing straightforward professional
work on the other. To all alike, no matter of what school, his pictures
appeal through certain sympathetic magnetism of subject and sensitive and
catholic charm of expression noticeable, as well in his portraits as his land-