page_title: Robert Howlett
section_title: Early life and education
hierarchical_section_title: Robert Howlett / Early life and education
caption_attribution_description: English: Isambard Kingdom Brunel against the launching chains of the SS Great Eastern at Millwall in 1857, photo by Robert Howlett (1831–1858). Deutsch: Isambard Kingdom Brunel vor der aufgewickelten Ankerkette der Great Eastern, 1857 fotografiert von Robert Howlett (1831–1858).
context_page_description: Robert Howlett, was a pioneering British photographer whose pictures are widely exhibited in major galleries. Howlett produced portraits of Crimean War heroes, genre scenes and landscapes. His photographs include the iconic picture of Isambard Kingdom Brunel which was part of a commission by the Illustrated Times to document the construction of the world's largest steamship, the SS Great Eastern.
  He exhibited at the London Photographic Society and published "On the Various Methods of Printing Photographic Pictures upon Paper, with Suggestions for Their Preservation". He worked in partnership with Joseph Cundall at "The Photographic Institution" at New Bond Street, London.
  Howlett made photographic studies for the artist William Powell Frith to assist him on his vast modern panorama painting The Derby Day which was exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1858.
  Howlett was commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to photograph the frescoes in the new drawing-room at Buckingham Palace, make copies of the paintings by Raphael and make a series of portraits called 'Crimean Heroes' which was exhibited in 1857 the Photographic Society of London's annual exhibition.
context_section_description: Robert Howlett was the second of four sons of Reverend Robert Howlett and Harriet Harsant. Two brothers died in infancy and his younger brother Thomas became a farmer. He was born in Theberton, Suffolk and the family had moved to Longham, Norfolk by the time he was 9 years old. His maternal grandfather, Thomas Harsant, a surgeon, constructed telescopes, microscopes, electrical machines, implements and instruments. Robert built his own microscope when a child.  Thomas Harsant died in 1852 and left him £1000 plus his "turning lathe and all the apparatus and tools belonging thereto".  Thus he was able to move to London.
caption: Isambard Kingdom Brunel photographed by Robert Howlett (1857)
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