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Primary sourcePhotograph1882

Portrait of Cetshwayo kaMpande, London 1882

Alexander Bassano · 1882

A studio photograph of King Cetshwayo in European dress, taken in London during his 1882 visit to seek his restoration.

This London studio portrait shows Cetshwayo during his 1882 campaign for restoration, in European dress.

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Sepia-toned studio portrait of a man in profile facing right, wearing a dark double-breasted coat, white collar, dark tie, and a white pocket square, with a close-cropped hairstyle and a stiff band-like headdress. Plain gradient backdrop.
Alexander Bassano, portrait of Cetshwayo kaMpande, 1882. London.

About this source

What it is

This is a sepia photographic portrait of King Cetshwayo kaMpande, taken by the London photographer Alexander Bassano at his Old Bond Street studio in 1882. It shows the king in profile, wearing a dark double-breasted coat, white collar and tie.

Why it matters

The photograph was made during Cetshwayo's visit to Britain, when he campaigned to be restored to power after his defeat and exile. His choice of formal European dress was part of how he presented himself to British society and officials at the time.

Look closer

  • Why might Cetshwayo have chosen to wear a European-style coat rather than Zulu dress for this photograph?
  • What does the formal studio setting tell you about who this photograph was meant to be seen by?
  • How might this image differ from pictures taken of him in Zululand?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Cetshwayo kaMpande on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Black-and-white photograph of a seated man with a band across his head, a beaded necklace, and a fur or skin cloth over his lap. He is bare-chested and bare-legged, holding a long thin stick across his knees, against a pale draped backdrop.Photograph

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Photograph of Cetshwayo kaMpande, c. 1875

c. 1875

Oil painting of a bearded man wearing a dark headring and a necklace of large white animal teeth or claws over bare shoulders and a dark fur or hide cloak, against a pale yellow and green sky. Signature and date at lower right.Painting

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Cetshwayo, King of the Zulus

Carl Rudolph Sohn · 1882

Black and white engraved print titled 'Peace Messengers from Cetewayo'. Dark silhouetted figures crowd a grassy foreground; several wear wide-brimmed hats and carry long staffs. Behind them, a large white curved shield and tall figures with feathered headdresses stand against a hatched sky.Painting

Primary source

Peace Messengers from Cetawayo

1879

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Secondary source

History of the Zulu War and Its Origin

Frances Ellen Colenso and Edward Durnford · 1880

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Cetywayo and His White Neighbours

H. Rider Haggard · 1882

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