Exhibition
just opened
The Hudson Transparencies
07 May 2026 – 11 Jun 2026
Osh Gallery
London, United Kingdom
Exhibition
just opened
The Hudson Transparencies
7 May 2026 – 11 Jun 2026
Regular hours
- Thursday
- 11:00 – 16:00
- Tuesday
- 11:00 – 16:00
- Wednesday
- 11:00 – 16:00
Free admission
Address
- 46 Essex Road
- London
- London
England - N1 8LN
- United Kingdom
Travel Information
- 38 56 73 341 476
- Angel or Highbury and Islington
- Essex Road Station
Event map
A fascinating window into the unseen world of Victorian science, celebrating the work of Charles Hudson, a pioneer in microscopy and the great-great grandfather of Luke Powell and Jody Hudson-Powell.
About
The Hudson Transparencies are a set of 58 images of microscopic plants and animals created by Victorian naturalist Charles Thomas Hudson to accompany his educational talks.
Hudson was renowned for both his pioneering research and his ability to communicate the wonders of the microscopic world to wider audiences. The exhibition offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience how Charles Hudson’s transparencies appeared to his captivated audiences.
The original transparencies are housed in simple wooden frames and measure 37.8 × 29.5 inches (96 × 75cm), enlarging the microorganisms to gigantic proportions – the equivalent of drawing ants the size of elephants.
The forms are created using areas of painted paper perforated with intricate lines and clusters of pinholes, when lit from behind they transform into objects of scientific discovery and beauty.
