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Primary sourcePhotographend of 19th century

Portrait of Menelik II, Late 19th Century

end of 19th century

A black-and-white photograph of Menelik II seated in an ornate crown-like headdress and embroidered robe, holding a staff.

This photograph shows Menelik II seated in royal regalia during his reign.

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Black and white photograph of a seated bearded man in an ornate crown-like headdress and an embroidered, richly decorated velvet robe, holding a tall staff upright in his right hand. Draped fabric hangs behind him.
Unknown photographer, Portrait of Menelik II, late 19th century.

About this source

What it is

This is a black-and-white photograph from the late nineteenth century, by an unknown photographer. It shows a seated bearded man wearing an ornate crown-like headdress and a richly embroidered velvet robe, holding a tall staff upright, with draped fabric behind him.

Why it matters

Photographs like this circulated to show Menelik II's appearance and status as emperor during his own lifetime. Because the photographer is unknown, the image also raises questions about how images of African rulers were taken, shared, and used by people both in Ethiopia and abroad during this period.

Look closer

  • What details of the clothing and setting suggest royal authority?
  • Why might the photographer's identity be unrecorded?
  • How might this image have been used or seen by people at the time?

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

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