Queen Victoria
Photograph
ca. 1860s (photographed)
ca. 1860s (photographed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Charles Clifford took the portrait in this photograph on 14 November 1861 at Windsor Castle. Queen Victoria (ruled 1837–1901) noted in her Journal that she had ‘dressed in evening dress, with diadem & jewels’ and was ‘photographed for the Queen of Spain by Mr Clifford. He brought me one of hers, taken by him’. The queen wears mourning for her mother, the Duchess of Kent, who had died on 16 March 1861. A copy in the Royal Photograph Collection shows her dress coloured purple. If accurate, this image might be one of the last of the queen wearing a colour, since her husband, the Prince Consort, died a month later.
According to Frances Dimond, Curator of the Royal Photograph Collection, this image ‘seems to be a trial-proof of a copy of the portrait, preserved for no known reason, and now an object with its own oblique interest’. The photograph gives us an oblique view into the large-scale industry by which portraits of royalty were made and sold (by the 100,000) in the 1860s.
According to Frances Dimond, Curator of the Royal Photograph Collection, this image ‘seems to be a trial-proof of a copy of the portrait, preserved for no known reason, and now an object with its own oblique interest’. The photograph gives us an oblique view into the large-scale industry by which portraits of royalty were made and sold (by the 100,000) in the 1860s.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Queen Victoria (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Albumen-silver print |
| Brief description | A photograph showing, positioned obliquely within the rectangular sheet, a portrait of Queen Victoria. The odd angle of the portrait suggests that it was a trial proof made prior to a large edition for sale in the popular carte de visite format.; 19thC; Anon, Portrait of Queen Victoria |
| Physical description | Albumen-silver print |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Production type | Copy |
| Production | This is a photograph of a photograph, perhaps a trial proof. The original has been identified by Frances Dimond, curator of photographs at the Royal Archive, Windsor Castle. The original was taken by Charles Clifford (British, c.1820-63), photographer to Queen Isabella II of Spain. Clifford photographed Queen Victoria for the Queen of Spain on 14 November 1861. Reason For Production: Private |
| Subject depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | Charles Clifford took the portrait in this photograph on 14 November 1861 at Windsor Castle. Queen Victoria (ruled 1837–1901) noted in her Journal that she had ‘dressed in evening dress, with diadem & jewels’ and was ‘photographed for the Queen of Spain by Mr Clifford. He brought me one of hers, taken by him’. The queen wears mourning for her mother, the Duchess of Kent, who had died on 16 March 1861. A copy in the Royal Photograph Collection shows her dress coloured purple. If accurate, this image might be one of the last of the queen wearing a colour, since her husband, the Prince Consort, died a month later. According to Frances Dimond, Curator of the Royal Photograph Collection, this image ‘seems to be a trial-proof of a copy of the portrait, preserved for no known reason, and now an object with its own oblique interest’. The photograph gives us an oblique view into the large-scale industry by which portraits of royalty were made and sold (by the 100,000) in the 1860s. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | PH.60-1985 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | January 5, 2004 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
