Queer Places:
9 Pembroke Square, London W8 6PA, UK
Reigate Cemetery, Reigate RH2 7RN, United Kingdom
Frederick Hollyer (17 June 1838 – 21 November 1933) was a preeminent English photographer and engraver, celebrated for his instrumental role in establishing photography as a
recognized fine art. He is best remembered for his meticulously crafted photographic reproductions of works by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, particularly those of his close
collaborators Edward Burne-Jones and George Frederic Watts.
Frederick Hollyer was the youngest son of Samuel Hollyer, a fine art publisher and engraver. He married Mary Anne Armstrong (1838–1913). His eldest son, Frederick Thomas Hollyer, eventually took over the family studio upon his father's retirement in 1913.
While Hollyer experimented with albumen and carbon prints, he became renowned for his mastery of the platinotype (platinum print) process. This method was prized for its extraordinary tonal range and longevity, which allowed him to "translate" the textures and nuances of paintings and drawings into photographic form with exceptional fidelity.
The studio of Frederick Hollyer was located at 9 Pembroke Square in Kensington, London. This residence and studio sbecame a cultural hub for the Aesthetic movement. His practice was unique for its time; he often worked closely with artists like Burne-Jones, photographing their works at various stages of completion. These prints frequently served as tools for the artists to assess their progress and consider modifications.
Hollyer’s work was so influential in popularizing Pre-Raphaelite art that The Times famously remarked he had done as much for the artists' popularity as John Ruskin had done with his writing.
A Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, he was also a member of the Linked Ring, an influential group that promoted artistic photography in opposition to more rigid, traditional standards.
Hollyer maintained a long-standing professional and personal association with the artist Simeon Solomon. Hollyer produced and sold numerous high-quality platinotype copies of Solomon’s delicate drawings and paintings, helping to sustain interest in Solomon’s work even as the artist faced increasing social and personal hardship.
Historical archives (notably those documented by researchers like Brian Reade) contain a letter from Solomon to Hollyer, dated circa 1886. In this letter, Solomon recounts his "delightful day" with the poet and eccentric Count Eric Stenbock, remarking on the "most singular" kindness Stenbock had shown him. Solomon, who had fallen into obscurity and struggle following his 1873 arrest, moved in the same social circles as Stenbock, a prominent collector and admirer of Solomon's work.
Hollyer died at his son's home in Blewbury, England, at the age of 95.
References:
 Sex, Time and Place: Queer Histories of London, c.1850 to the Present by Simon Avery and Katherine M. Graham |
Other references:
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