Chief among the founders were leading nine-
teenth century photographers Henry Peach Robin-
son (1830–1901), George Davison (1854/6–1930),
and Alfred Maskell (active 1890s), author of the
influential publicationPhoto-Aquatint, or the Gun-
Bichromate Processs, whose increasingly acrimo-
nious relations with the Photographic Society of
London (renamed Royal Photographic Society
[RSP] in 1894) and resignation from the Society in
1891 led to the idea of the Linked Ring. Through
this organization they could not only better further
their ideas, but express their dissatisfaction with the
RPS. This venerable institution did not distinguish
among the various types of photographic practice,
considering all photographs equal. This notion was
especially inflammatory in the area of ‘‘scientific’’
versus ‘‘artistic’’ applications. As well, RPS often
hired individuals with no experience in the med-
ium, such as sculptors or painters, to jury their
prestigious annual exhibitions, and prizes were
awarded, despite many feeling it unfair to judge
one photograph as ‘‘better’’ than another. The org-
anization was a loose federation of like-minded
individuals, and featured no board of directors or
officers, and to which members were elected based
solely on the existing members’ judgment of the
artistic value of their work.
Other well-known founders of the Brotherhood
were Frank M. Sutcliffe (1853–1941), who cap-
tured lush Yorkshire landscapes; Paul Martin
(1864–1944), known for his engagingly natural,
candid portraits; Alfred Horsley Hinton (1863–
1908), a leading landscape photographer who was
also a popular judge for photographic exhibitions
as well an the editor of the influential and popular
magazine Amateur Photographer; and Frederick
Hollyer (1837–1933) known for his beautiful Plati-
notype portraits of late-nineteenth century literary
and artistic figures.
Chief among the Brotherhood’s activities was
the establishment of an exhibition that would
serve as an alternative to the RPS exhibitions and
those of other groups. Called the Photographic
Salon, to associate it with the annual painting sal-
ons organized in many European capitals, it first
appeared in 1893. The eminent Scottish photogra-
vurist J. Craig Annan (1864–1946; elected to the
group in 1894) and Frederick H. Evans (elected in
1900) served as the exhibition’s first directors. In
keeping with Linked Ring ideals, no medals or
prizes were awarded. The Photographic Salon was
extremely successful and became an important
annual event in the world of fine arts photography,
later being known as the London Salon.
As well, the Brotherhood published an annual
titledPhotograms of the Year, which like the Photo
Club of New York’s publicationCamera Notesand
the Photo-Secession’s laterCamera Work, served
to spread the image of advanced photographic
practice around the world.
Leading American Pictorialist and photographic
champion Alfred Stieglitz, who had been elected to
membership in 1894 took notice, founding his own
group with essentially the same ideals, the Photo-
Secession. Leading Pictorialist photographer Ger-
trude Ka ̈sebier, who worked out of a well-respected
professional studio in New York, was the first
woman to be elected to the Linked Ring in 1900.
Another early female member was Canadian Minna
Keene (1861–1943); in 1908 Keene was also the first
woman elected as a fellow to the Royal Photo-
graphic Society.
Though but a loose organization, the Linked
Ring exhibited characteristics typical of many
groups; internal dissent and rivalries began emer-
ging, especially after 1905. By this time, many of
the members of the Photo-Secession had also
became become members of the Linked Ring, rais-
ing concerns among the originators of the group at
the British group being dominated by Americans.
At the 1908 Photographic Salon, it was determined
a majority of displays were by Americans. Reac-
tions included a ‘‘Salon des Refuse ́s’’ of photo-
graphs not admitted to the Salon mounted at the
offices ofAmateur Photographer. Still in the major-
ity, the British members changed the rules for the
following year’s Salon, leading to the resignation of
several influential Americans including Stieglitz
and Clarence White. The success of the Salon des
Refuse ́s and continuing discord within the Broth-
erhood led to the Linked Ring being dissolved in- The London Salon of Photography, which
mounts an annual exhibition with a continuous
history to the present day, has roots in the Linked
Ring. In a historical irony, many of photographs
by and archives of the founders of the Linked Ring
can be found at the Royal Photographic Society.
LynneWarren
Seealso:Evans, Frederick H.; History of Photogra-
phy: Twentieth-Century Developments; History
of Photography: Twentieth-Century Pioneers;
Ka ̈sebier, Gertrude; Non-Silver Processes; Period-
icals: Historical; Photo-Secession; Photo-Secessio-
nists; Pictorialism; Professional Organizations;
Royal Photographic Society; Stieglitz, Alfred;
White, ClarenceLINKED RING