Julia Margaret Cameron
Déjatch Alámayou, King Theodore's Son

ArtistBritish, born India, 1815–1879
CultureBritish
Titles
  • Déjatch Alámayou, King Theodore's Son
  • from the album Mrs. Cameron’s Photographs from the Life
Date1868, assembled 1869
MediumAlbumen silver print from glass negative
DimensionsImage: 11 7/8 × 10 3/16 in. (30.1 × 25.8 cm)
Sheet: 11 7/8 × 10 3/16 in. (30.1 × 25.8 cm)
Mount: 18 1/8 × 12 3/8 in. (46 × 31.5 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number2021.282.30
Non exposé

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Department
Photography
Object Type
Description


Déjatch Alámayou was taken to England after the British defeat of the Ethiopians at the battle of Magdala and the suicide of his father, Tewodros (Theodore) II, emperor of Ethiopia, in April 1868. Queen Victoria took an interest in Alámayou and saw to his education and protection, placing him in the care of Captain Tristram Speedy, who, like Cameron, had a home on the Isle of Wight. Speedy brought the child to Cameron’s house to be photo- graphed shortly after his arrival in England. Here, the young orphaned prince seems lost in thought. His name, Alámayou, means “I have seen the world.”



ProvenanceGiven by the artist to her daughter Julia and son-in-law Charles Norman; by descent to his son Archibald Cameron Norman; by descent to his son Charles Lloyd Norman; by descent to his son Charles Wake Norman; by descent to his son to William Norman; by descent to his son Stephen Norman; [consigned to Hans P. Kraus, New York, 2012]; purchased by MFAH, 2021.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Inscribed on mount recto, below image: Dejátch Álámáyou / [Amharic inscription] // King Theodore’s Son
Catalogue raisonnéCox & Ford p. 505 "Norman Album", plate 1123

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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