1347
During the American Civil War, Stillman volunteered
to join the Massachusetts troops. His poor health, how-
ever, was an obstacle and he was offered the position
of the American Consul in Rome. Three years later, in
1865, he was transferred to Crete which at the time was
excluded from the new Greek state and was still part of
the Ottoman Empire. During the three years of his stay
on the island, Stillman and his family (he had married
Laura Mack in 1860 and had two children) experienced
the Cretan Insurrection. Their personal safety was at
risk, so Stillman was advised to leave Crete for Athens
where a few months later his wife committed suicide.
His son Russie was suffering from a fatal disease which
forced Stillman to return to England where he became
engaged in journalistic and literary pursuits for the
rest of his life. In 1871 he married the daughter of the
Greek consul in England, Marie Spartali, with whom
he appeared to have lived happily until his death on the
6th of July 1901.
Stillman was introduced to the medium in 1857. As
he mentions in his autobiography ‘[he had] bought a
photographic apparatus, and learned photography as
it was practised [at that time], a rude, ineffi cient, and
cumbersome apparatus and process for fi eldwork, of
which few amateurs nowadays can conceive in incon-
venience.’ At fi rst Stillman took up photography as ‘a
means to bring back records of vegetation.’ Two years
later he published his fi rst photographic album entitled
Photographic Studies by W. J. Stillman, Part 1. The For-
est, Adirondack Woods. The existence of Stillman’s late
1850s Italian views testify that he took up photography
once again whilst appointed consul in Rome, since
his offi cial duties left him plenty of time. However,
his serious involvement with the medium came when
he was transferred to Crete. During his stay, Stillman
photographed even the most remote parts of the island
and conducted a number of experiments on the chemical
development of images and photographic equipment.STILLMAN, WILLIAM JAMES
Stillman, William J.. Relief of Nike
from the Temple of Athena Nike,
Athens. Figure of Victory, fromt eh
Temple of Victory-High Relief. One
of 26 prints ina book entitled: “The
Acropolis of Athens.”
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
© The J. Paul Getty Museum.