Carte-de-visite of the Sultan of Lahej, al-Fadl III ibn 'Ali al-'Abdali.

Albumen carte-de-visite, measuring 104 by 62mm. A tiny area of light spotting to the photograph, mounted on paper (then later thicker paper), contemporary ink caption below image. N.p., n.d., but [Lahej or Aden,

A captivating carte-de-visite of al-Fadl III ibn 'Ali al-'Abdali, who was the Sultan of Lahej for two periods; briefly in 1863 and for a longer spell starting in July 1874 and ending in April 1898.

The photograph is among the earliest of Lahej and was almost certainly taken by the same unidentified photographer whose images illustrated the presentation issue of Frederick Hunter’s An Account of the British Settlement of Aden in Arabia (London, 1877). A group portrait  of the Sultan and his family is included as the fourteenth photograph (of fifteen) in that volume, titled ‘Group of the Reigning Family of the Lahej District’. Although the present image does not feature, it clearly belongs to the same series, all of which were probably commercially available as individual prints in Aden.

Though he does not name the photographer, Hunter does mention the existence of commercial studios in Aden at the time: ‘There are two depôts, both located at Steamer Point, where portraits are taken by photography; they are, however, but indifferently patronised. Views of the different places of interest in the Settlement and neighbourhood can be obtained, and as they have been taken by an amateur who thoroughly understood the art, they are worth the small sum charged for each copy. An excellent panoramic view of the camp was taken by this artist, and can be purchased for Rs.6 per copy.' (p. 86). The person most likely to have been behind the lens is Charles Nedey, a photographer who was active in Aden from at least the 1870s, producing views and CDVs of the local people.

Stock Code: 193195