Dr Diamond
Lacock
31 May 52Dr Sir
Pray accept the enclosed specimen, Study of an Old Man’s Head from the life in 3 seconds, by Mr Henneman. <1> He sometimes succeeds as well in one second, yet it would be desirable to obtain still greater rapidity.
I remain Yours very truly
H.F. Talbot
Notes:
1. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer. Enclosing the portrait often described as being that of the Hungarian patriot, Louis Kossuth [illustrated in H. J. P. Arnold, William Henry Fox Talbot: Pioneer of Photography and Man of Science (London: Hutchinson Benham, 1977), plate 75]. Kossuth was in London late in 1851 but was less than 50 years old at the time and did not look like this even in much later portraits. The enclosed print remains with the letter and is inscribed on verso of the card mount in WHFT’s hand: ‘Study from the life in 3 seconds N.H. 1852’; the mount is stamped ‘Henneman & Co., Regent St, London’.