Two Photographs (Albumen Prints) of Captain Francis Fowke and Lieutenant-Colonel Gerald Graham, c.1860

Two albumen prints (from wet collodion glass negatives) mounted on either side of a page removed from an album. Portrait of Francis Fowke, seated three-quarter length, turned to left and looking slightly left of front, holding his hat in his lap. He is in civilian dress. Portrait of Gerald Graham, seated nearly full length, turned nearly to front but looking right, his left elbow resting on a table which also contains a book and his cap. He is in military uniform, and the contemporary inscription below calls him 'LtCol. Gerald Graham RE'. Both photographs are somewhat creased, and that of Graham has surface damage top right.

Sir Gerald Graham was renowned for his bravery and was one of the first to be awarded the Victoria Cross in 1857; he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in 1860, so the photographs date from shortly after. No other early portrait of him is known. Francis Fowke, also a Royal Engineer, was the original architect of the Victoria and Albert Museum and other museum and exhibition buildings, including those for the International Exhibition of 1862, and the original designer of the Royal Albert Hall, but died in 1865 before the latter was built.

See also portrait medal of Fowke (22158) and photograph of bust (70172).