Untitled, 19th century, England - Art Institute of Chicago

Hugh Welch Diamond was born in England on 10 May 1809. He studied medicine and became a doctor, but soon developed an interest in psychiatry and mental illness. In 1848 he was appointed superintendent of the women's ward at the Surrey County Asylum. Diamond was fascinated by the idea of using photography to study and document mental illness. He believed that photographs could provide a more accurate and objective record of the physical and psychological symptoms of mental illness than written descriptions or drawings. In 1852 Diamond published a paper entitled "On the Application of Photography to the Physiognomy and Mental Phenomena of Insanity". In this paper he described his method of using photography to document the physical features and emotional expressions of his patients. Diamond's photographs were groundbreaking for their time. They showed the individuality and humanity of people with mental illness, rather than portraying them as objects of pity or fear. His photographs also helped to advance the understanding of mental illness and its treatment. Diamond continued to work as a psychiatrist and photographer until he retired in 1876. He died in England on 21 December 1886. Today, his photographs are considered important historical documents and are held in collections around the world.