Lot Essay
The portrait of the King was taken on Friday 26 September, three days after his coronation, at the age of 34. He is pictured in the uniform of a British Field Marshal presented by General Johnstone on behalf of Queen Victoria. His crown was brought to Madagascar by Joseph Lambert and presented on behalf of the Emperor Napoleon III. The photograph of the Prince and Princess was taken on Tuesday 23 September and was one of the most important taken by Ellis on this first visit to the capital. He knew that it was essential that he make a good impression, but in examining the chemicals that had been selected with the help of Roger Fenton, Ellis discovered that he was missing acetic acid, a vital element in the preparation of the collodion negative. After much experimenting and postponements of the sitting he achieved what he considered reasonable results with the help of a bottle of vinegar supplied by the Prince.