Artist
Julia Margaret Cameron(British, born India, 1815–1879)British, born India, 1815–1879
CultureBritish
Titles
- Déjatch Alámayou & Báshá Félika, King Theodore's Son & Captain Speedy
- from the album Mrs. Cameron’s Photographs from the Life
Date1868, assembled 1869
MediumAlbumen silver print from glass negative
DimensionsImage: 12 13/16 × 10 13/16 in. (32.6 × 27.5 cm)
Sheet: 12 13/16 × 10 13/16 in. (32.6 × 27.5 cm)
Mount: 18 1/8 × 12 3/8 in. (46 × 31.5 cm)
Sheet: 12 13/16 × 10 13/16 in. (32.6 × 27.5 cm)
Mount: 18 1/8 × 12 3/8 in. (46 × 31.5 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number2021.282.47
Non exposé
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Department
PhotographyObject Type
Prince Déjatch Alámayou was taken to England after the British defeat of the Ethiopians at the battle of Magdala and the suicide of his father, Emperor Tewodros (Theodore) II, 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. Shortly after their arrival in England, Speedy brought the seven-year-old orphan and his attendant to Cameron’s house to be photographed. 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: Captn Speedy and Dejatch Alamayou and Abyssinian Attendant
Catalogue raisonnéCox & Ford p. 505 "Norman Album", plate 1114
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
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Julia Margaret Cameron
1868, assembled 1869
Albumen silver print from glass negative
2021.282.30
Julia Margaret Cameron
1866, assembled 1869
Albumen silver print from glass negative
2021.282.64
Julia Margaret Cameron
1865, assembled 1869
Albumen silver print from glass negative
2021.282.42
Julia Margaret Cameron
1867, assembled 1869
Albumen silver print from glass negative
2021.282.23