
Fenton's Crimean Commission: 8 March - June 1855
Fenton was commissioned to go to the Crimean War by the Manchester-based publishers Thomas Agnew & Sons. Agnew’s was one of the leading publishers, printsellers and dealers at the time, and the firm saw the war as an opportunity to sell new images to a public hungry for information. The war coincided with an increased number of public art exhibitions as the middle classes in particular had more time and money to spend on leisure activities.
At the same time, Agnew’s also commissioned the British historical painter Thomas Barker (1815–82) to produce a large oil painting depicting the expected allied victory at Sevastopol. Fenton’s photographs were to be used as source material by Barker. This enabled the artist to claim absolute truthfulness and accuracy in his portraits.
Barker incorporated versions of at least 50 of Fenton’s photographs into his painting. Some photographs have been copied almost exactly; others have been reversed or combined with other images, with elements from some photographs appearing alongside people from other works. The painting was completed in 1856 and the associated engraving was published by Agnew’s in 1859. A key was also produced, identifying each individual in the work, in which Fenton’s role was explicitly acknowledged.
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Photographic Van
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Valley of the Shadow of Death
London : William Little
The Illustrated London news. Vol. 27 (July-December 1855).
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Omar Pacha (1806-1871)
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Omar Pacha (1806-1871)
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Cooking house, 8th Hussars
Charles George Lewis (1808-80)
The Allied generals with the officers of their respective staffs before Sebastopol
After Thomas Jones Barker (1815-82)
Key plate to the painting Allied Generals before Sebastopol by Thomas Jones Barker
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Wounded Zouave and a Vivandière
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Maréchal Pélissier, Duke of Malakoff (1794-1864)
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Dromedary
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Sevastopol from the Redoubt des Anglais
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Sevastopol from the Mortar Battery
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Vivandière
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Captain and Mrs Duberly
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Camp of the 4th Dragoons
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Lord Balgonie
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Colonel Doherty and the Officers of the 13th Light Dragoons
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Colonel Brownrigg and the two Russian boys, Alma and Inkermann
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Ismael Pacha receiving his chibouque
Attributed to Carol Szathmari (1812-87)
Turkish infantry in the field
Attributed to Carol Szathmari (1812-87)
Three volunteer Russian soldiers from Bulgaria
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
View from Cathcart's Hill
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Kamara Heights in the distance, Artillery Waggons in the foreground
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Camp of the 4th Dragoons
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Group of Croats
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Nubian servants with horses
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Tartar labourers
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
General James Bucknall Estcourt (1802-1855)
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Major Hallewell at the end of a day's work
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Mr Angell
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
William Simpson (1823-1899)
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Sir John Miller Adye (1819-1900)
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Sir William Howard Russell (1820-1907)
Roger Fenton (1819-69)