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The Disruption of the Church of Scotland, The First General Assembly of the Free Church Signing the Act of Separation and Deed of Demission, Tanfield, Edinburgh, 23rd MAY 1843

Photographer: Annan, Thomas · 1830-1887Publisher: Alexander, RichardPrimary artist: Hill, David Octavius, RSA · 1802-1870

The Disruption of the Church of Scotland, The First General Assembly of the Free Church Signing the Act of Separation and Deed of Demission, Tanfield, Edinburgh, 23rd MAY 1843

The print was published to commemorate the silver anniversary of the signing of the Act of Separation & Deed of Demission which established the Free…

The print was published to commemorate the silver anniversary of the signing of the Act of Separation & Deed of Demission which established the Free Church as a separate entity from the Established Church of Scotland. Hill had his painting moved to Hamilton for Annan to undertake the photography; Hill doing Annan the honour of adding Annan’s portrait in the doorway at back right.

Contemporary newspaper advertisements provide background details to this work; “MR D. O. HILL’S PICTURE of the FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the FREE CHURCH,” in which there are Portraits of upwards of Four Hundred Individuals who took part in or witnessed the proceedings, will be Exhibited a Month, or longer, in the Calton Convening Rooms, Waterloo Place, commencing THURSDAY the 24th instant, from Nine a.m. till Five p.m. Admission, 1s. young persons under fourteen years. 6d.; or if three of same family, 1s. Ministers of the Free Church and their families, and Clergymen of other Denominations, admitted on presenting their cards, or entering their names in the Visitors' Book. Order, RICHARD ALEXANDER. Agent and Manager, To whom communications may be addressed. Calton Convening Rooms, Edinburgh, 22nd May 1866. There will be a PRIVATE VIEW of the above Picture TO-MORROW (Wednesday) the 23rd inst., between the hours of 1 and 5 o’clock p.m., when Mr Hill will feel honoured by the presence of as many of his friends as may find it convenient to come. He also respectfully invites such Members of the General Assemblies and United Presbyterian Synod as may that day be in town; also the Members of the various Deacons’ Courts of the Free Church in Edinburgh and Leith, the Members of the Town Council, the Gentlemen of the Press, the Members of the Royal Scottish Academy, &c. &c. Visitors requested to give their cards. No private invitations have been issued. Rock House. Calton Hill Steps. Edinburgh. 22d May 1868.” (Edinburgh Evening Courant - Tuesday 22 May 1866)

“Fine Arts. The exhibition of Mr D. O. Hill’s HISTORICAL PICTURE of the DISRUPTION ASSEMBLY will CLOSE on SATURDAY, 28th inst., after which orders for the Photographs, and other communications, may be addressed to the Undersigned, at the Office, 16 Royal Exchange, Edinburgh. R. ALEXANDER, Agent and Manager. Calton Convening Rooms, 2lst July 1866.” (Edinburgh Evening Courant - Thursday 26 July 1866)

“THE DISRUPTION OF THE CHURCH/ OF SCOTLAND./ A COMMEMORATIVE PICTURE,/ CONTAINING 450 PORTRAITS,/ BY D.O. HILL. R.S.A.,/ REPRESENTING/ THE FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY/ OF THE/ FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND,/ SIGNING THE ACT OF SEPARATION/ AND DEED OF DEMISSION,/ AT TANFIELD. EDINBURGH,/ 23rd MAY, 1843./ THE CARBON PERMANENT PHOTO/ GRAPHS of the above Picture, equal in/ beauty and durability to any Line Engraving,/ are now ready, and are being distributed to Sub/ scribers only./ No1 48 x 21 ¼ inches 12 Guineas/ No1 48 x 21 ¼ inches 8 Guineas/ No3 32 x 14 inches 6 Guineas/ No4 32 x 14 inches 6 Guineas/ No5 24 x 10 ½ inches 2½ Guineas/ No6 24 x 10 ½ inches 1½ Guineas/ No7 13 inches 10 shillings/ No8 7½ inches 5 shillings./ With Key-Plate and Index./ These photographs, by Thomas Annan of/ Glasgow, from their wonderful sharpness and/ Beauty, have been pronounced the Greatest/ Triumph of the Art./ The Original Picture (11½ feet x 5) is now/ the property of the Free Church, and the pho/ tographs, being issued to Subscribers only, and/ not thrown on “the trade”, will doubtless/ increase in value./ Descriptive Pamphlets sent Free on applica/ tion. Country Booksellers are invited to co/ operate in the dissemination of these Photo/ graphs. Particulars as to Commissions, &c., may/ be had from/ R. ALEXANDER./ Agent and Manager,/ Disruption Picture Office,/ 16, Royal Exchange, Edinburgh.” [Coleraine Chronicle - Saturday 13 June 1868]

“THE DISRUPTION. THE remaining TWO SIZES of the PHOTOGRAPHS of Mr D.O. HILL’S PICTURE of the FIRST FREE ASSEMBLY of the Free Church of Scotland have just been published. Price (13 inches) 10s, and (7½ inches) 5s, with Key-plate and Index. Those Photographs (by Mr Thos. Annan, of Glasgow), from their Wonderful sharpness and beauty have been pronounced the greatest triumph of the art. Copies of all or any of the Six different sizes, varying in length from 48 to 7½ inches, and in price from Twelve Guineas to Five Shillings, may now be had. R. ALEXANDER, Agent and Manager. Disruption Picture Office, l6 Royal Exchange.” (John o' Groat Journal - Thursday 04 June 1868)

The present work therefore is either a Class No.3 or Class No.4 impression.

Vide article by David Spence; http://photoseed.com/blog/2014/08/23/permanence-of-disruption/ which discusses the Hill-Annan partnership.

The Hill-Annan partnership is discussed also by Sara Stevenson in Scottish Masters 12: Thomas Annan: National Galleries of Scotland: 1990. Both of these references cite only 3 sizes of print being produced.

Vide also Roddy Simpson's article "Subscribers to the Prints of the Disruption Painting" based on material held in the special collections department at Glasgow University Library in SSHOP's journal 'Studies in Photography, 2008, 'pp.51-56, which explores the complete range of sizes

Hill had his painting moved to Hamilton for Annan to undertake the photography; Hill doing Annan the honour of adding Annan’s portrait in the doorway at back right.

© Royal Scottish Academy