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Carte de visite of David Livingstone (2)
Summary
Description: David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley became celebrities in the eyes of a Victorian public captivated by their adventures. Livingstone's work as a medical missionary in southern Africa allowed him to pursue his passion for exploration.
Creator/Photographer: John Jabez Edwin Mayall
Birth Date: 1813
Death Date: 1901
Medium: Carte-de-visite
Dimensions: 4 in x 2.5 in
5547
Repository: Smithsonian Institution Libraries
Collection: Russell E. Train Africana Collection - The Russell E. Train Africana Collection includes approximately 2,000 books and an extensive array of manuscripts, photographs, watercolors, sketches, maps, newspaper clippings, artifacts and other ephemera ranging from the late 18th to mid-20th centuries, with a concentration on items relating to early British and American explorers. The famous missionary David Livingstone and journalist Henry Stanley, as well as President Theodore Roosevelt, a renowned conservationist of his time, are well represented with numerous books by and about them, manuscript letters, privately printed materials, dozens of photographs and other ephemera. Some of the published books in the collection are presentation copies autographed by the author, while others have original artwork or engravings.
Gift line: Gift of Russell E. Train
Accession number: SIL28-318-01
John Jabez Edwin Mayall (1813-1901) was an English photographer who played a major role in the development of early photographic processes. Born on 17 September 1813 in Oldham, Lancashire, England, Mayall became famous for his work in the field of photography in the mid-19th century. Mayall initially pursued a career as a portrait painter, but later turned to photography. He became particularly famous for his portrait photography, capturing images of the notable figures of his time. One of his most famous works is a photograph of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, taken in 1854. This photograph helped to establish Mayall's reputation as a leading portrait photographer. In addition to his portrait work, Mayall also contributed to the development of photographic technology. He experimented with various photographic processes, including collodion, which was widely used in the mid-19th century to produce glass plate negatives. Mayall's career spanned several decades and he remained involved in photography until the end of his life. He died on 6 March 1901 in Clapham, London, leaving a legacy as one of the pioneering figures in the early history of photography. His contributions to the field have had a lasting impact on the art and technology of photography.