In the Footsteps of Henry Taunt: tourning exhibition

Henry Taunt was one of the nineteenth century’s most prolific photographers. ‘In the Footsteps of Henry Taunt’ is a touring exhibition of paired photographs of the nineteenth century photographer’s images and modern digital images taken by Diprose and co-researcher Jeff Robbins from the original locations (or as near to those locations as physically possible) in order to demonstrate the dynamic between continuity and change.

The contrasting pairs reveal changes including buildings and vegetation that has been swept away, changes in traffic and traffic management, different farming activities and concentrations of livestock, and parts of the river no longer in use. However the paired images also present some aspect of continuity such as the presence of churches and other buildings, and the survival of many natural riverbanks. Although Taunt’s original 1872 publication contributed to the developing popularity of the river as a site for tourism and leisure activities, including rowing, camping and steam-boat excursions, much still remains that originally gave the river its picturesque charm and historic interest.