Photograph by Roger Fenton of Sir John Campbell and his aide-de-camp Captain Hume beside the entrance of a tent. Sir Campbell stands to the left leaning on his sword with Captain Hume sitting beside him holding a telescope. Sir Campbell was a senior military figure during the Crimean War who died during the Battle of the Great Redan. This portrait was made in April 1855.

Fenton was commissioned by a Manchester, U.K. publisher, Thomas Agnew and Sons, to photograph the British army in Crimea, focusing on officers and any other participants he found interesting. This salt print was also part of the exhibition "Photographic Pictures taken in The Crimea, By Roger Fenton, Esq.". The exhibition was held at the Gallery of the Water Colour Society. In 1855 and 1856. This specific print was mentioned in the original catalogue on page 5 with catalogue number 38 and titled: "General Sir John Campbell and Captain Hume, his Aide-de-Camp; the General sitting.".

The well-considered compositions Fenton created are evidence of his background as a painter. The portrait offered here is a good example of this.

Salt print on original lithographed on mount with printed title, credits, publisher information.

Salt print ca. 19,8 x 16,7 cm
Mount ca. 36,7 x 28,6 cm

Literature:
Sophie Gordon: Shadows of War, Roger Fenton's Photographs of the Crimea, 1855 (p. 190, Cat. no. 38)

There is another example of this print in the Royal Collection Trust.