RARE PHOTOGRAPHS by Beato of sketches by Henry Hope Crealock documenting the relief of Lucknow and the 1858 campaigns in Rohilkhand, Baiswara, and north of the Ghagara River.
Henry Hope Crealock (1831–1891), was an army officer and an accomplished artist, "his sketches of scenes in the Indian mutiny, China campaign, and Anglo-Zulu War are valuable records" (ODNB). Felice Beato first met Crealock in the Crimea along with other British officers, whose careers took them on to India in 1857 and on to China in 1860. "While topographical work absorbed most of Beato's time, he also made portraits of the leading British generals ... as well as many of the British officers, including Crealock ... In addition to architecture and portraiture, Beato also produced copy work for the British ... he supplied photographic copies of drawings and sketches, which Crealock had made of the relief of Lucknow and the 1858 campaigns." The photographs present here were first published by J. Hogarth in London in 1861 together with a small booklet (not present here) which included a descriptive list of the photographs. It may be surmised from this that Beato also photographed Crealock's sketches made in China, which were also published by Hogarth the following year in 1862 (see lot 241).