Interview with Mehemet Ali in his Palace at Alexandria 1839
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah)
Sharjah Art Museum / Sharjah Museums Department
About Sharjah Museums Authority, Sharjah
Published 1849
David Roberts; Louis Hague (David Roberts: 24/10/1796; Louis Hague: 17/3/1806, David Roberts: Edinburgh, Scotland; Louis Hague: Tournai, Belgium-David Roberts: 25/11/1864; Louis Hague: 9/3/1885, David Roberts: London; Louis Hague: London)
SM2006-676
Lithograph
434 mm x 613 mm
London
This scene shows Muhammad Ali Pasha, comfortably seated on a diwan with sword and waterpipe by his side, receiving a British Delegation at his palace in Alexandria on May 12th, 1839 - an event at which the artist David Roberts himself was present after receiving an invitation from the British Consul General in Alexandria, Colonel Patrick Campbell, to accompany him to the meeting at the city's Arsenal. On entering the audience room, Roberts noticed the magnificent view of the harbour from the window, and he eternalises this impression at the centre of his composition, accentuating at the same time the separation of the Egyptian ruler and his entourage on the left and the six-strong, British delegation on the right. Campbell is seated closest to the ruler, followed by Thomas Waghorn and David Roberts, eagerly leaning forward to listen and observe. Other identifiable individuals include Bogosh Bey, the Armenian chief minister, standing left of the seated Pasha, Dr Tattam, a Coptic scholar commissioned by the British Museum and Mr Pell. Campbell was soon to be recalled due to his attempts to influence British politics towards Mehmet Ali, whom he greatly admired.
Ulrike al-Khamis "Interview with Mehemet Ali in his Palace at Alexandria 1839" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;ua;81;en;N
Prepared by: Ulrike Al-Khamis
MWNF Working Number: UA 082
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