This website presents our knowledge and research on this important aspect of the Royal Collection. As of April 2026 it will not be regularly updated and new research on this topic will sit within the main website.

Visit the Royal Collection

Glass plate negatives

Albert and Victoria’s collection of glass plate negatives show photographers’ working methods

    AFTER FRANZ XAVER WINTERHALTER (1805-73)

    Photography of paintings

    c. 1860

    Wet collodion negative | RCIN 2084836

    Glass plate negative depicting a man holding up two paintings for the purpose of photography. The paintings are a portrait of Prince Albert and a portrait of Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter (RCINs 402327 and 402326).

    The glass plate negative has been photographed showing the coated side and therefore the image appears laterally reversed. Prints from this negative do not seem to exist in the Collection.

    • Creator(s)

      After Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-73) (artist)

      Unknown Person (photographer)

    • Acquired by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

    • Subject(s)
      • Arts, Recreation, Entertainment & Sport
        • Art
          • Paintings
      Object type(s)
        • visual works
          • photographs
            • negatives
              • glass plate negatives
    PreviousNext
    PreviousNext