[Lady Mary Hamilton (Campbell) Ruthven]

James Craig Annan was a Scottish photographer born on 8 March 1864 in Hamilton, Scotland. He was the son of Thomas Annan, a prominent Scottish photographer. James Craig Annan began his career as a photographer in his father's studio, where he learned the technical aspects of photography. In 1883 James Craig Annan moved to Vienna, Austria, where he worked as an assistant to the photographer Wilhelm Burger. During this time he learned the art of photogravure, a process in which photographic images are transferred to a copper plate and then printed using an intaglio process. In 1886 James Craig Annan returned to Glasgow and set up his own studio. He became known for his portraits and landscapes, often printed in photogravure. His work was highly regarded and he won many prizes for his photographs. James Craig Annan became a member of the Royal Photographic Society in 1894 and was elected President in 1916. He was also a member of the Linked Ring, a British photographic society that promoted Pictorialism, an artistic movement that emphasised the aesthetic qualities of photography. During the First World War, James Craig Annan served as a photographer for the British Army. After the war he continued to work as a photographer and also became involved in the art world. He was a member of the Royal Scottish Academy and served as its president from 1933 to 1940. James Craig Annan died in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 5 June 1946. His legacy lives on through his photographs, which are held in collections around the world.