[Lady Canning]
1858–61
![[Lady Canning] by Unknown](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/met/ph/thumb/lady-canning-287653.webp)
Medium
Albumen silver print
Dimensions
Image: 16.3 x 19.8 cm (6 7/16 x 7 13/16 in.) Mount: 33 x 26 cm (13 x 10 1/4 in.) Print mounted vertically.
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 (53)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking albumen silver print from 1858–61 captures a moment in British colonial India, featuring Lady Canning—likely Charlotte, Vicereine of India and wife of Governor-General Charles Canning—amidst men, women, and majestic elephants. Titled *[Lady Canning]*, the photograph measures 16.3 x 19.8 cm on its mount, showcasing the era's fascination with exotic wildlife and imperial grandeur. The inclusion of elephants evokes the subcontinent's cultural and practical reliance on these animals for transport and ceremony, blending portraiture with documentary elements. Created during the turbul...
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...