[The Armor of Philip III]

Charles Clifford|Jane Clifford

1866 · Albumen silver print from glass negative · Photographs

This photograph reveals a technical mastery rivaled only by its subject. Glinting with pristine menace, the suit of armor seen here bears the insignia of a bellicose duke famous for his distinctive military attire. It was given to him in 1620 by Philip III and later transferred to the Royal Armory in Madrid. Around 1865, Jane Clifford photographed the armory’s holdings, marketing her work as reference imagery for institutions abroad. She secured access to the collection through connections of her late husband, whom she had assisted on photographic commissions for the Spanish Crown. After his death, she ran a portrait studio in central Madrid. Her record photography for museums supported this operation, but striking examples such as this transcend the genre, establishing themselves as standalone works of art.

Artist

Charles Clifford|Jane Clifford

Date

1866

Medium

Albumen silver print from glass negative

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Gilman Collection, Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Henry R. Kravis Gift, 2005