H.R.H. The Princess Alice
Medium
Albumen print
Dimensions
Image/paper: 9 × 5.8 cm (3 9/16 × 2 5/16 in.); Mount: 10.5 × 6.2 cm (4 3/16 × 2 1/2 in.)
Classification
photograph
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
228192
Art Historical Context
In 1861, renowned British photographer John Jabez Edwin Mayall this intimate portrait of H.R.H. Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Mayall, a pioneer in portraiture, was celebrated for his elegant studio photography of Victorian elites, including the royal family. This small albumen print, measuring just 9 × 5.8 cm, exemplifies carte-de-visite format—a visiting card-sized photograph that exploded in popularity during the 186s, making portraiture accessible to the masses while elevating royal imagery to collectible status. The albumen printing process, intr...