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Photo, Print, Drawing Theodore, Negus Hegyst, of Abyssinia.

About this Item

Title

  • Theodore, Negus Hegyst, of Abyssinia.

Summary

  • In 1868, The Illustrated London News commissioned the Scottish artist William Simpson (1823--99) to cover a military campaign launched by Britain against Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia) to rescue several British officials and missionaries held by the Emperor Theodore (also called Tewodros II, ruled 1855--68). The commission was Simpson's first major work for the Illustrated London News and the beginning of a long relationship with the paper that ended only with his death. This watercolor is Simpson's depiction of Theodore. After the hostages were freed, the British forces launched a punitive attack on the emperor's fortress of Magdala. Rather than face the ignominy of being taken prisoner, Theodore committed suicide, reportedly using a pistol that had been a gift from Queen Victoria. The watercolor is from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection at the Brown University Library.

Names

  • Simpson, William, 1823-1899 Artist.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1869.

Headings

  • -  Ethiopia
  • -  1869
  • -  Kings and rulers
  • -  Portrait paintings
  • -  Portraits
  • -  Theodore II, Negus of Ethiopia, died 1868
  • -  Watercolors

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 1 watercolor; 11.3 x 19 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: Brown University Library.
  • -  Content in English.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Source Collection

  • Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021670467

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Simpson, William, Artist. Theodore, Negus Hegyst, of Abyssinia. Ethiopia, 1869. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670467/.

APA citation style:

Simpson, W. (1869) Theodore, Negus Hegyst, of Abyssinia. Ethiopia, 1869. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670467/.

MLA citation style:

Simpson, William, Artist. Theodore, Negus Hegyst, of Abyssinia. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021670467/>.