TABLEAU VIVANT PHOTOGRAPH [VICTORIA MELITA (1876-1936, Grand Duchess, wife of Grand Duke Kyril of Russia) with her cousins BEATRICE (Mary Victoria Feodore, 1857-1944, Princess, Daughter & Companion of Queen Victoria) & her husband Prince Henry Maurice of BATTENBERG (1858-1896, Colonel)]

Fine unsigned Tableau Vivant 'Flash Light' Photograph representing 'Tales from the Arabian Nights' by Hughes & Mullins showing them dressed in Eastern costume, Henry is seated cross legged and the women are standing behind him, some appear to be tied together and the scene suggests a harem, stamped 'carbon print' on the verso, 10" x 8", no place, (Osborne, Isle of Wight) no date, c.

It is interesting that Princess Victoria Melita is included as she always thought of the Queen as rather pampered and interfering and so she tried to spend as little time as possible in any of the Queen's homes. She was to be proved right personally as the Queen arranged a disastrous marriage for her with Ernest, Grand Duke of Hesse which ended in divorce in 1901, when 'Ducky' (her family nickname) ran off to Russia to find her true love with Grand Duke Cyril.
The practice of the Household performing tableau vivants over the New Year was revived some time after the death of the Prince Consort. There were normally several scenes, each representing a letter or word, followed by a final scene depicting the entire word. The Tableau often reproduced paintings - a particularly successful one being 'La Rixe' (The Brawl) after the painting by E. Meissonier which had been given to the Prince Consort in 1856. The scene was a quarrel in a tavern which Queen Victoria considered 'a truthful presentation of the picture'. They were not always so well received - a biblical tableau of Naomi and Ruth in 1888 was described by the Queen as 'not quite so successful as it might have been, owing to the ladies getting the giggles and shaking'.
The Tableau Vivant photo is an unusual form of photography, which Queen Victoria had a passion for from the 1850s. This is one of the later ones which are more difficult to find as the majority of them have remained in Royal Collections.
From the collection of Lady Patricia Ramsay, daughter of the Duke of Connaught.

Item Date:  1887

Stock No:  23740      £1000

             Add to Wish List     Order/Enquire