James Robertson (photographer) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids James Robertson
James Roberton, photograph by the Abdullah Bros, c. 1875
Born	1813 Middlesex, England
Died	April 1888 (aged 74–75) Yokohama, Japan
Known for	Engraver, photographer and watercolourist
Notable work	Photographs of the Crimean war
Movement	Orientalist
Spouse(s)	Leonilda Maria Matilda Beato (m. 1855)

James Robertson (born 1813, died 1888) was an English artist. He started his career as an engraver, which means he made designs on things like gems and coins. Later, he became a very important photographer. He took some of the first pictures of wars and also captured amazing scenes from places like the Middle East and India. He is known as one of the world's first war photographers.

James Robertson's Life and Adventures
Amazing Photographs
See also

James Robertson's Life and Adventures

Süleymaniye Mosque in Constantinople, photograph by Robertson, 1853

James Robertson was born in Middlesex, England, in 1813. He learned how to be an engraver from a famous artist named Wyon. In 1841, he moved to Constantinople (which is now Istanbul, Turkey). There, he worked at the Imperial Ottoman Mint, making designs for coins and other official items. It was during this time that he became very interested in photography.

In the 1850s, many tourists started traveling to the Near East. They wanted to buy photographs as souvenirs to remember their trips. This created a big demand for photographers in the region. A small group of talented photographers, mostly from France, came to places like Egypt and Constantinople to meet this demand. These early photographers included famous names like Félix Bonfils and Gustave Le Gray. The British-Italian brothers, Antonio Beato and Felice Beato, were also part of this group.

In 1853, Robertson began taking pictures with Felice Beato. They soon formed a photography team called Robertson & Beato. They even opened a photography studio in Pera, Constantinople. Felice's brother, Antonio, sometimes joined them on their photography trips. They traveled to places like Malta in 1854 and to Greece and Jerusalem in 1857. Some of their photos from the 1850s are signed Robertson, Beato and Co. The "and Co." likely referred to Antonio.

In late 1854 or early 1855, James Robertson married Leonilda Maria Matilda Beato. She was the sister of Felice and Antonio Beato. James and Leonilda had three daughters: Catherine Grace, Edith Marcon Vergence, and Helen Beatruc.

In 1855, Robertson and Felice Beato traveled to Balaklava in Crimea. There, they photographed the final parts of the Crimean War. They took over from another photographer, Roger Fenton. They captured images of the fall of Sevastopol in September 1855. Robertson's work in Crimea was very important. He took at least 60 well-known photos from the war. This work helped him become known as the world's "first war photographer."

Around 1857, both Robertson and Felice Beato went to Calcutta, India. They photographed the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion. Robertson also took pictures in Palestine, Syria, Malta, and Cairo. He worked with one or both of the Beato brothers on these trips.

In the late 1850s, Robertson also created some water-colour paintings. These often showed popular "Orientalist" scenes, like people selling carpets or snake charmers. It's not clear if he painted these from scratch or if he added water-colour washes to his photographs.

In 1860, Felice Beato left for China to photograph the Second Opium War. Antonio Beato went to Egypt. Robertson then briefly worked with another photographer named Charles Shepherd back in Constantinople. The photography team of Robertson & Beato officially ended in 1867. They had created many amazing pictures, including large panoramic photos, from places like Malta, Greece, Turkey, Damascus, Jerusalem, Egypt, the Crimea, and India.

Robertson might have stopped photography in the 1860s. He returned to his job as an engraver at the Imperial Ottoman Mint until he retired in 1881. After retiring, he moved to Yokohama, Japan, arriving in January 1882. He passed away there in April 1888.

Amazing Photographs

Pictures of Places and People

The Erechtheum on the Acropolis, photograph, 1853
Obelisk in the Hippodrome, Constantinople, around 1854
The Garden of Gethsemane, photograph, 1857
A Turkish Woman in Outdoor Dress, hand-coloured photograph, around 1857
Fatih Mosque, photograph, around 1852–1854
Mehmed Emin Ağa Fountain, photograph, date unknown
Nusretiye Mosque and Tophane Square, photograph, date unknown
Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount and Wailing Wall, photograph, 1857

Pictures from the Crimean War

British Sailor's Battery, photograph, 1855
Inside Balaclava Harbour and Part of Town, hand-coloured photograph, 1855
Crimean War, [Group of soldiers outside a hut], around 1855
Malakoff from the Mamelon, photograph, 1855
Inside the Redan - Russian Battery, around 1855
Crimean War, [Colonel W.L.Yea with his horse, receives a signal from his adjutant, Lt.J.St Clair Hobson. Both killed at Sevastopol 18 June 1855], around 1855
Crimean War, [Scottish troops, wearing bearskin and kilts, around 1855

Pictures by Robertson and Beato

Army camp at Balaklava during the Crimean War, Albumen silver print by "Robertson & Beato", 1855
Imperial Port of Serail, around 1854
Figures at the Fountain of Sultan Ahmet III, Istanbul, 1850s
Tomb of Sultan az-Zahir Qansuh, around 1858
Dolmabahçe Palace Imperial Gate, date unknown
Dolmabahçe Palace and Mosque, date unknown