© Sharjah Museums Authority


Name of Object:

Interview with Mehemet Ali in his Palace at Alexandria 1839

Location:

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah)

Holding Institution:

Sharjah Art Museum / Sharjah Museums Department

 About Sharjah Museums Authority, Sharjah

Date of Object:

Published 1849

Author:

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)

Inventory Number:

SM2006-676

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Lithograph

Dimensions:

434 mm x 613 mm

Provenance:

London

Description:

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.

Citation of this web page:

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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