Monday 21 September 2009

Extraordinary 19th century photographs, and he painted the colours himself

Talented: Henry Harrison's amazing pictures will go up for sale in October

A stunning collection of photographs taken by a 19th century globetrotter has caused a stir - because he meticulously painted the colours in himself.

The amazing images shed new light on the world as it was more than 100 years ago, with vivid images of snake charmers, ships on the Suez Canal and fighting Sikhs, among others.

Henry Harrison, a Royal Navy Paymaster General, took the black and white pictures on his voyages around the globe and, because he was a talented artist, was able to painstakingly colour them in.


One of Henry Harrison's photographs shows prisoners in China waiting to be executed. He painstakingly hand-painted the colours himself
'An English party ascends the Great pyramid, with a touch of colour

Harrison travelled the globe with his trusty camera and even recorded the grisly early stages of the Boxer Rebellion in China in the late 1890s.

Other locations depicted include the pyramids at Giza, India, Venice, Pompeii, Tonga and the West Indies.

An officer of the Khedive camel corps heads out for a tour of duty
Different way of life: This hand-painted slide shows elephants in India, saying they behaved 'like a well trained collie'

One of the never before seen slides is labelled: "An English party ascending the Great Pyramid." There are pictures of snake charmers, huge cannon being unloaded, ships along the Suez Canal and images of HMS Victory and the Royal Yacht "Victoria and Albert".

He clearly spent time in the Holy Land and there are colour pictures of the Tomb of David, Garden of Gethsemane, the Wailing Wall, Nazareth and Jericho.

Sudanese warriors, Egyptian crocodile catchers, Indian mahouts, fighting Sikhs, Bengali lancers and even a Whirling Dervish - described as a Howling Dervish - are all recorded.

His life spanned the Victorian age and this collection shows the world in colour at the height of the British Empire.

Relative Moiya Harrison, who is now selling them, said: 'Henry Harrison was my late husband's grandfather who was Paymaster General in the Royal Navy.

He was a keen photographer and artist and these slides are what he took during the late 19th century.

'He also coloured in the slides and recently I found his paints and instructions on how to do it - and that is now in the sale.

'He was a very talented artist and the colours on the slides would be accurate.

'He went on seven year tours and covered much of the globe taking pictures, painting pictures and collecting specimens.

'I've kept the family pictures and the specimens he collected, but those for sale include the ones of the Boxer Rebellion which are a bit gruesome.

'None of these has been in the public domain before and the ones of the Boxer Rebellion are dated 1895, which must be from the very early stages.

'He must have been a very interesting man and his life spanned the Victorian age." The slides of the failed Boxer Rebellion are dated 1895, which was in the very early stages of the murderous uprising by Chinese opposed to foreigners and Christians.

Historians both here and in China will be keen to study the images of the uprising.

The Righteous Fists of Harmony - nicknamed Boxers - were fanatical fighters of the Qing Dynasty who murdered missionaries and Chinese Christians.

Harrison captured images of the rebellion and the names he gave to the slides highlight the nature of the uprising.
They include: 'executioners for minor punishments', 'prisoner to be tortured', 'prisoner chained to wall in street', 'prisoner in cage', 'prisoners decapitated.'

They are thought to be punishments meted out to the Boxers who were caught, rather than the victims of the Boxers themselves.

Deborah Doyle, from Duke's auction house in Dorchester, Dorset, said the slides could make up to £1,000.

She said: "These slides are very poignant, and are an important part of our world history.

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