Landscape, Nature and Architecture
Technological improvements enabled Prince Albert to collect photographs of places that were significant to him
'Staatswagen des Herzogs August'; Duke August of Saxe-Gotha's State Coach, Gotha
1858Albumen print | 19.0 x 23.9 cm (image) (image) | RCIN 2102949
Photograph of Duke August of Saxe-Gotha's State Coach outside the Duke's Stables at Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha. The carriage is a circular shape and heavily decorated. Behind the coach is the doorway of the stables.
Knowing of Prince Albert's love for his old home, Queen Victoria commissioned a set of photographs of Gotha to be given to Prince Albert as a birthday present on 26 August 1858. They were to accompany the set of Coburg photographs she had given him for his birthday the year before. According to the Queen's journal, Prince Albert was 'particularly delighted' with them. Between 1790 and 1810, there was a fashion, possibly of French origin, for circular-shaped carriages. This particular example was apparently built by order of Duke August, Prince Albert's maternal grandfather, for the public entry into Gotha in 1808 of Napoleon I, who refused to use it.
Creator(s)
Francis Bedford (1815-94) (photographer)
Subject(s)
Prince August of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1818-81)19.0 x 23.9 cm (image) (image)
31.5 x 38.5 cm (page dimensions)
Staatswagen des Herzogs August
Commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1858 as a birthday present for Prince Albert
Subject(s)
- Arts, Recreation, Entertainment & Sport
- Architecture
- Domestic architecture
- Stables
- Domestic architecture
- Architecture
Object type(s)
- visual works
- photographs
- Arts, Recreation, Entertainment & Sport
