Henry Van der Weyde facts for kids
Henry Van der Weyde (born in 1838, died in 1924) was a talented artist from the Netherlands who became famous in England. He was both a painter and a photographer. He is best known for his amazing photographic portraits from the late 1800s. People remember him as a pioneer in photography because he was one of the first to use electric light for taking pictures.
Some of the famous people he photographed include architect William Burges, Alexandra, Princess of Wales, and writer A. E. Housman. He also took pictures of actresses like Mary Anderson and Dorothy Dene. Other well-known subjects were Sir Edwin Arnold, bodybuilder Eugen Sandow, and explorer Fridtjof Nansen.
Early Life and Career
Henry Van der Weyde was born Pieter Hendrik van der Weijde in a town called Zierikzee in the Netherlands. His birthday was August 30, 1838. His father, also named Pieter Hendrik van der Weijde, was a doctor. His mother was Jeannette Wilhelmina Lasserre.
In 1850, when Henry was about 12 years old, his family moved to the United States. Later, he served in the American Civil War, a big conflict in American history. After that, in 1870, he moved to England.
Pioneering Photography
In 1877, Henry Van der Weyde opened his own photography studio in London. It was located at 182 Regent Street. He started using a special logo for his work: "The Van der Weyde Light." This name was important because that same year, he made history. He became the very first photographer to set up and use electric light to take portraits.
Using electric light was a huge step forward for photography. It meant he could take many portraits quickly. Before this, photographers relied on natural light, which was much slower and harder to control.
Innovations and Recognition
Henry Van der Weyde was not just a photographer; he was also an innovator. He was one of the founding members of a special group called the Linked Ring Brotherhood. This group was made up of photographers who wanted to push the boundaries of art and photography.
In 1892, he introduced a new invention called the "photo corrector," also known as the Rectograph. This device helped photographers improve their pictures. It was a big deal in the photography world at the time and caused a lot of excitement.
Gallery
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Dorothy Dene, a famous actress and model
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Jennie Jerome, who was the mother of Winston Churchill
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Mary Anderson acting as Perdita
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Rose Norreys (1866-1946), an actress
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Lillian Seccombe (1872-?), another actress [1]
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Lillie Langtry, a well-known actress
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Fridtjof Nansen, a famous Arctic explorer
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Edward VII, who became King of the United Kingdom
