Shadows of Light: Victorian Photography Archives in PRONI

Photography in the late nineteenth century was more than a technical innovation; it was a cultural revolution. The Victorians embraced the camera as a tool of memory, identity, and discovery. Portraits preserved family ties across generations, while landscapes and street photography documented the transformation of towns and countryside. PRONI’s collections reveal how photography shaped public and private life, offering us a lens into Victorian values, aspirations and anxieties.

Join us this lunchtime as PRONI archivist Brett Irwin looks at the fascinating developments in photography during the late 19th century exploring the work of professional photographers and very talented amateurs alike that reveal how photography flourished in the north of Ireland during this period.