Original albumen Carte-de-Visite (CDV) portrait of Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (1799–1869), one of the leading Conservative statesmen of Victorian Britain and three-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. A full-length studio portrait showing Lord Derby seated in formal dress, holding his hat in his hands. The portrait was photographed from life by the noted British photographer John Jabez Edwin Mayall (1813–1901). At the lower left of the image appears the Mayall marking together with the date February 14th 1861. The reverse bears the studio imprint: “Photographed from Life by MAYALL, 224, Regent Street, London.” The sitter is additionally identified on the front of the mount as “THE EARL OF DERBY.” Lord Derby served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1852, 1858–1859 and 1866–1868. His long political partnership with Benjamin Disraeli was central to the development of the Victorian Conservative Party; Disraeli served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Derby's governments and ultimately succeeded him as Prime Minister in 1868. An original, identified and dated Victorian photographic portrait by one of the leading British portrait photographers of the period.
Auction 01: Auction 01 – Historical Letters, Documents & Autographs — Melis Antiques & Art