[Colonel Vincent Eyre C.B. Bengal Artillery, "The Hero of Arrah" and Mrs Eyre]
1858–61
![[Colonel Vincent Eyre C.B. Bengal Artillery, "The Hero of Arrah" and Mrs Eyre] by Unknown](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/met/ph/thumb/colonel-vincent-eyre-cb-bengal-artillery-the-hero-287636.webp)
Medium
Albumen silver print
Dimensions
Image: 15.5 x 10.4 cm (6 1/8 x 4 1/8 in.) Mount: 33.1 x 26 cm (13 1/16 x 10 1/4 in.)
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gilman Collection, Purchase, Cynthia Hazen Polsky Gift, 2005
Accession Number
2005.100.491.1 (36a)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This poignant albumen silver print from 1858–61 captures Colonel Vincent Eyre C.B. of the Bengal Artillery, hailed as "The Hero of Arrah," alongside Mrs. Eyre. Eyre earned his legendary title during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, when he heroically defended the Arrah House stockade against overwhelming rebel forces for nearly a week, a feat that symbolized British resilience amid the uprising. Posed formally side by side, the couple embodies the era's colonial portraiture, blending personal intimacy with imperial pride just as photography was revolutionizing visual records in India. As an earl...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...