A Collection of Seven Original Albumin Prints of Cape Town Inhabitants – Barnard, Samuel Bayliss

Samuel Bayliss Barnard arrived in Cape Town from England in 1864. He set up as a professional artist but soon found it difficult to earn an income. He turned to photography and opened his first studio in May 1865. He soon found success and photographed many important people in Cape Town, including H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, whose portrait he took in 1867. As an artist Barnard kept in touch with all trends of modern art, reflected in the many exhibitions of paintings and photographs by the local scene at his “Photographic Gallery” at 37 Adderley Street. Barnard is best known these days for his photographs of indigenous Khoi – San people. Subjects who were detained at the Breakwarter Prison in Green Point. This collection, taken at roughly the same time, is from the same series but features the local Cape Malay community. The prints vary slightly in size but are 10 x 14.5cm on average. Original albumin prints pasted to brittle and chipped album card with Barnard’s distinctive hand-painted borders. Few original prints appear on the market, most being held in public of private collections.

Publisher: S B Barnard
Date Published: Circa 1870
Publication Place: Cape Town

Condition: Good to very good.