British Library Photography Holdings on Latin America and the Caribbean
'Cuba Siempre Española'.
Álbum histórico fotográfico de la guerra de Cuba desde su principio hasta el reinado de Amadeo I
Courtesy NYPL
The British Library holds a comprehensive collection of albums and photographically illustrated books on Latin America and the Caribbean. The albums listed below are some early items which are particularly relevant for Latin America. Many more items can be found on the British Library photography catalogue.
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Shelfmark 1783.cc.20.
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Views in the Amazon Valley: Résultat d’une expédition photographique sur le Solimões ou Alto Amazonas et Rio Negro,
faite pour le compte de G. Leuzinger, Rue d’Ouvidos 33 et 36, par M. A Frisch, descendant le fleuve dans un bateau avec deux rameurs, depuis Tabatinga jusqu’à Manáos.
Typographie de G. Leuzinger, 33 rue 7 Septembre, Rio de Janeiro.
Photographs: A. Frisch 56 Photographs of people and places in the Amazon Valley, in a large album, with a small booklet interspersed before the first photograph that contains both details of the edition and detailed captions to the photographs in French.
Most images contained in the album can be seen on the Brown University Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies website
Photographs include many portraits of the indigenous population, as well as photographs of military posts or of valuable trees such as the Hevea Brasiliensis (captioned ‘Seringueira’), the Po Mulato and many more.
Photographs of places and themes include:
‘La Cuisine’;
‘L’Intérieur’;
‘Tècunas’;
‘Mant·’;
‘S. Paulo’;
‘Miranhas’,
‘Tonantins’,
‘Caixanas’,
‘Fone Boa’;
A number of images of ‘Manaos’;
‘Indien’;
‘Campement de bateliers boliviens’,
‘Tarum·’;
‘Un Bouquet de Parasites’;
‘Village d’Indiens soumis … sur le Panellas’
Examples of captions
Num. 1 ‘Loetitia (rive gauche) : Poste militaire Péruvien, fondé en 1868 où l’on se propose de faire une colonie d’indigènes, à 2 lieues de Tabatinga’
Num. 2 ‘Tabatinga (rive gauche) : (côté du Pérou) dernier poste militaire brésilien, à la frontiere du Pérou, fondé en 1766’
Num.4 ‘Malocca : 'Habitation d’indiens sauvages Tècunas avec le Cacique (Tuxa·a et sa fille; 10 lieues au dessous de Tabatinga)’
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1869
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Shelfmark 1784.a.14.
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Rays of Sunlights from South America
Washington DC: Philip and Solomons, 1865
Photographs: Alexander Gardner/Henry Moulton
(Each photograph is captioned as: ‘negative by Henry Moulton, positive by Alexander Gardner’. The British Library online gallery suggest that 'although the famous Civil War photographer Alexander Gardner is credited in the title, he appears to have been responsible only for the printing, the actual photographs being the work of Henry Moulton, about whom little is known.')
An album of photographs of Lima and the Chincha Islands (off the coast of Peru) preceded by a short, one-page introduction (all quotes are from the introduction). Principally pictures of Lima: ‘a panoramic view of the public edifices, monuments, churches, convents, tombs, public squares, and famous places, which constitute the pride and ornament of that stupendous city’; and a number of photographs of the Chincha Islands and its Guano industry ‘which furnish the richest fertilizing material known to agriculture’, with landscapes as well as vessels waiting for Guano, of which, in 1865, ‘half the deposit of the largest island has been removed already’.
Several of the album pages referring to the Chincha Islands are available to see online in the NYPL digital gallery
A short review of the album was published in The New York Times on the 27th of September 1865.
A video introduction to the album, made when it was on sale in an auction, is available to watch online.
Photographs of Lima:
‘Cathedral and decorations of the public Fountain, Lima, 28th July, or Independence Day’;
’Side View of the Bridge of Pizarro, Lima’;
‘Cathedral and Troops during the Funeral of President San Roman, Lima’; Several views of the ‘Garden of the Order of the Bare-Footed Monks, Lima’;
Several views of ‘The Universal Hotel, Universe Square, Lima’; ‘Penitentiary, Lima’; ‘Great Plaza, Lima, during the Celebration, 28th July, or Independence Day’; ‘Entrance to Principal Theatre, Lima’; ‘Calle de las Mantes (Mantidu Street), Lima’; ’Facade of the Church of Mercy, Lima’ and many other church facades. 'The Municipality Building, Lima' Photographs of the Chincha Islands:
‘Cave on Eastern Side of the North Island, Chincha Islands’;
‘The Infernal Rock, West of the North Island, Chincha Islands’;
Several images captioned ’Panorama of the Town, North Island, Chincha Islands’;
Two images of ‘Panorama of North Island, Chincha Islands, with Part of Fleet waiting for Guano;
Two images of ‘Panorama of Middle Island, Chincha Islands, with Part of Fleet Waiting for Guano’;
Two images of ‘Panorama of South Island, Chincha Islands’;
‘Strata of Guano, Chincha Islands’; ‘The Hotel, Chincha Islands’;
‘Prisoners saying Mass-Sunday Morning-Chincha Islands’;
'Emptying Cars of Guano into the Shoot, Chincha Islands’;
‘Shoot Manufactory, Cabins of the Chinamen, and Portion of Great Pier, Chincha Islands’;
‘Chinamen working Guano-Great Heap-Chincha Islands’
'View of the Great Pier with shipping waiting for guano.'
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1865
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Shelfmark 9771.h.7.
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Álbum histórico fotográfico de la guerra de Cuba desde su principio hasta el reinado deAmadeo I
Dedicada a los benemeritos cuerpos del Ejército, Marina y Voluntarios de esta Isla por D. Gil Gelpi y Ferro.
Con Veinte y Cuatro Grandes Fotografias de los Distinguidos Artistas Varela y Suarez.
Imprenta “La Antilla,” de Cacho-Negrete, Calle de Cuba, Numero 51. 1872.
Album-size historical book with photographic illustrations, mostly portraits and views of Habana
The album is available for download in its entirety here, and selected images are available to view on the website of the NYPL digital gallery.
Photographs include: -Cityscapes: ‘Vista dela Teatro de Villanueva-Habana’;
-‘Vista del Teatro de Tacón y del Louvre, Habana’;
-‘Vista del castillo del Morro, Habana’;
-‘Vista del castillo de la Cabaña, Habana’
-Soldiers, both indigenous and Spanish in ‘Defensores de la integridad nacional’.
-‘Vista del castillo del Príncipe’
-‘Vista de la ciudad y puerto de la Habana’
-Rulers: ‘Excmo. Sr. D. Francisco Lersundi y Ormaechea: Capitán General Gobernador Superior Político de la Isla de Cuba’;
‘Excmo. Sr. D. Domingo Dulce y Garay: Capitán General Gobernador Superior Político de la Isla de Cuba’;
Excmo. Sr. D. Rafael Clavijo y Plo: General Sub-Inspector de Ingenieros y de voluntarios de La Habana’
-Last image: portrait of the author ‘Don Gil Gelpi y Ferro’
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1872
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