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by | Mar 19, 2018 | Rose

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Captain Jesse Mitchell (1812 – July 18, 1872) was a British army officer who served as Superintendent of the Government Museum, Madras, succeeding Edward Balfour, from 15 May 1859 to 7 August 1872. He was one of the pioneers of photomicrography in India.[1] Some of his early photographs include those of Phthiraptera from a goose and the proboscis of a blow-fly.[2] He was a captain and an adjutant in the 1st Native veteran Battalion of the Indian Army. He exhibited his first photographs of old temples in 1857 at a meeting of the Photographic Society of Bengal, which also earned praise in the Madras Journal of Literature and Science. In 1858 he showed some negatives at a meeting of the Photographic Society of Madras.[3] He wrote on the photographic techniques that he experimented with and suggested modifications to those followed by Captain Linnaeus Tripe and Dr. A.C. Brisbane Neill.[4] He also published notes from the museum such as one on the Indian climbing perch and its habit.[5][6]

Mitchell helped establish the Museum Library which later became the Connemara Public Library, acquiring books, often second-hand to stock it. It was opened in June 1862.[7] Mitchell died while in service and is buried at St. George's Cathedral, Madras.[6]

References

  1. ^ Raman A (2011). "Photography and photomicrography in 19th century Madras" (PDF). Current Science. 101: 800–802.
  2. ^ Madras Journal of Literature and Science 1859:182
  3. ^ Taylor, R & LJ Schaaf (2007). Impressed by Light: British Photographs from Paper Negatives, 1840-1860. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 348.
  4. ^ "Description of plain or waxed paper process in photography". The Madras Journal of Literature and Science. 17: 71–80. 1857.
  5. ^ Mitchell, Jesse (1864). "On the climbing habits of Anabas scandens". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 13 (74): 117–119. doi:10.1080/00222936408681585.
  6. ^ a b Aiyappan, A. (1951) Madras Government Museum Centenary Souvenir (1851-1951). p. 14
  7. ^ Satyamurti, S.T., ed. (1964). Handbook of the Madras Government Museum. Government of Madras. p. 4.
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