Harry Pointer (1822-1889, British) is best known for his collection The Brighton Cats, which is a series of whimsical images that were used as post cards and meant to advertise his hometown. The 200 approximate photographs featured his own cats in various anthropomorphic poses.
Born in Berkshire, Pointer’s father was an agricultural laborer. Initially, Pointer was a master at “Military Drilling”, and even gave private lessons. It was not until the 1871 census that Pointer gave his profession as photographer. His photographs soon became well known and sought after.
“A good picture of pussy is always attractive… The long-haired white Persian cat is sitting on a newspaper, with an air of resentment for some slight indignity offered her. Who knows better than Mr. Pointer how to depict with the camera all the graces and attitudes of the cat, and to say a cat picture is by Mr. Pointer is to say it is good!” The Photographic News, 31st October 1884
Brighton Cat Series The Shah
Harry Pointer died in Brighton of pericarditis at the age of 66. Philippe Garner writes that Pointer exerted a “…hypnotic spell on the cats who posed for him in every conceivable guise. ….It was a good idea so to train a number of cats as to make them excellent, attentive and obedient ‘sitters’….it seems as if each knew precisely what he wanted, is gentle and fierce, or listless or eager, or docile or angry, according to the character depicted.”
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