Alfred Maskell was an artist, primarily a photographer, who worked tirelessly to advance the art. He was a member of The Linked Ring, an invitation-only group that wanted to advance photography as an art form. Members encouraged experimentation with the photographic process. The organization was founded in 1892 by Maskell, with George Davison and Henry Van der Weyde. The Linked Ring was at its peak between its founding, until roughly 1909. Maskell, along with Robert Memachy, helped to develop the gum-bichromate printing, which is able to create a unique painterly image from negatives.