Queen Emma of Hawaii and Her Entourage
Medium
Albumen silver print from glass negative
Dimensions
Image: 14 1/8 × 17 15/16 in. (35.9 × 45.6 cm)
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gilman Collection, Museum Purchase, 2005
Accession Number
2005.100.785
Tags
Art Historical Context
Captured in 1865 by renowned photographer Gardner, *Queen Emma of Hawaii and Entourage* is a albumen silver print from glass negative, measuring 14 1/8 × 17 15/16 inches. Gardner, best known for his poignant Civil War documentation and sharp portraiture, masterfully rendered this group portrait at a pivotal moment in American history—the war's end. The image showcases Queen Emma, a prominent Hawaiian royal, alongside her attendants, highlighting cross-cultural encounters between the Pacific kingdom and the United States. The albumen process, a hallmark of mid-19th-century photography, produce...
About the Artist
Alexander Gardner
Alexander Gardner was born on 17 October 1821 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, and came of age in a culture shaped by radical social thought. Influenced by the cooperative ideals of Robert Owen, Gardner initially apprenticed as a jeweler and harbored dreams of founding a utopian community in America. His encounter with photography changed the course of his life. After seeing Mathew Brady's cele...