Victoria and Albert collected photographs that documented the political and military events that defined a period of global expansion
MRS ARCHER (ACTIVE 1857)
The butcher of Cawnpore
1857Salted paper print | 19.5 x 12.3 cm (image) | RCIN 2942110.d
Photograph of a half length portrait of a male man, named 'the butcher of Cawnpore'. The man poses with his arms crossed, facing towards the camera. He is bare chested and wears a turban, ear ornaments and trousers or a sarong.
On the mount displaying the photographs is a statement reading: 'Extract of a Letter/ from Dr Halleur to Mr Negretti,/ dated Calcutta , Novr 9, 1857./ "I sent you 50 copies of a portrait/ of the butcher of Cawnpore, who/ murdered all the women & children,/ by order of that devil Nena [sic] Sahib;/ it was taken by a Mrs Archer, a/ great sufferer, who gave them to me/ to sell them for her as a means/ of subsistence; sell them as high/ as you can, as it is a charitable / act; she has been in my house/ for the last three months, and is/ indeed a pitiable woman. I will/ write more next mail about it,/ but do not make use of my name in reference to this picture, as I do/ not like to be brought before the/ public"'
On the mount displaying the photographs is a statement reading: 'Extract of a Letter/ from Dr Halleur to Mr Negretti,/ dated Calcutta , Novr 9, 1857./ "I sent you 50 copies of a portrait/ of the butcher of Cawnpore, who/ murdered all the women & children,/ by order of that devil Nena [sic] Sahib;/ it was taken by a Mrs Archer, a/ great sufferer, who gave them to me/ to sell them for her as a means/ of subsistence; sell them as high/ as you can, as it is a charitable / act; she has been in my house/ for the last three months, and is/ indeed a pitiable woman. I will/ write more next mail about it,/ but do not make use of my name in reference to this picture, as I do/ not like to be brought before the/ public"'
Creator(s)
Mrs Archer (active 1857) (photographer)
Subject(s)
Butcher of Cawnpore' (fl.1857)19.5 x 12.3 cm (image)
- Presented to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
Subject(s)
- Places
- Asia
- India
- Uttar Pradesh [India]
- Kanpur [Uttar Pradesh]
- Uttar Pradesh [India]
- India
- Asia
- Social sciences
- Military affairs
- Wars, Campaigns & Battles
- Wars
- Wars of the nineteenth century
- Indian Rebellion (1857-1858)
- Wars of the nineteenth century
- Wars
- Wars, Campaigns & Battles
- Military affairs
Object type(s)
- visual works
- photographs
- Places
