Two Early Photography Exhibitions in Washington, D.C.

In the Wall Street Journal, Richard Woodward, a New York-based art critic, gives an overview of two exhibitions currently at the National Gallery: Impressed by Light: British Photographs From Paper Negatives, 1840-60 (through May 4), and In the Forest of Fontainebleau: Painters and Photographers from Corot to Monet (through June 8). The former "examines photography in the context of Victorian science, industry and colonialism" though waxed paper negatives. The latter has examples of painting and photography side-by-side. Passes are not required for either. Both sound fascinating and make me wish that the nation's capital were a bit closer.