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David Octavius Hill
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Portrait of John Henning, calotype by David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson, c. 1846; in the George Eastman House Collection, Rochester, N.Y., U.S. David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson: Portrait of Two Men (John Henning and Alexander Handyside Ritchie)
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David Octavius Hill

Scottish painter
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Portrait of John Henning, calotype by David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson, c. 1846; in the George Eastman House Collection, Rochester, N.Y., U.S.
Portrait of John Henning, calotype by David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson, c. 1846; in the George Eastman House Collection, Rochester, N.Y., U.S.

David Octavius Hill was a Scottish painter and photographer, born in 1802. He was a founding member of the Royal Scottish Academy and served as its secretary for 40 years. Hill is known for his landscape paintings and, more significantly, for his collaboration with Robert Adamson in photography.1

In 1843, Hill began a large painting commemorating the founding of the Free Church of Scotland. To accurately capture the likenesses of the delegates, he partnered with Robert Adamson, a chemist experimenting with the calotype photographic process. Together, they created numerous portraits of prominent figures and everyday people, preferring the calotype for its affordability and ability to emphasize personality. After Adamson's death in 1848, Hill largely returned to painting.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
4 Britannica Sources
  1. Hill and Adamson
  2. Nicholas Hilliard
  3. Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill
  4. Hill

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