John Jabez Edwin Mayall facts for kids
John Jabez Edwin Paisley Mayall (born September 17, 1813, near Oldham, England – died March 6, 1901, in Southwick, West Sussex) was an important English photographer. He is famous for taking the first carte-de-visite photos of Queen Victoria in 1860. He is also well known for his 1875 portrait of Karl Marx. John was born as Jabez Meal to John and Elizabeth Meal.
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Early Photography in America
Mayall moved to Philadelphia, USA, in late 1841 or early 1842. He started his photography business there and worked as a photographer until 1846.
Photography as Art
Some experts say Mayall was one of the first to try "fine art photography." This was even before other famous photographers like Oscar Rejlander and Julia-Margaret Cameron.
In 1845, he created ten special photos called daguerreotypes to illustrate The Lord's Prayer. Later, he made larger daguerreotypes to show poems and feelings. These were displayed at the Great Exhibition in 1851. Some of his art photos included The Soldier's Dream and Bacchus and Ariadne.
However, critics didn't always like his art photos. One magazine, The Athenaeum, wrote that these pictures seemed like a "mistake" because they only showed things exactly as they were, not with imagination. Even though Prince Albert encouraged him, Mayall stopped trying to make photography into fine art.
A year after the Great Exhibition, he focused on how realistic daguerreotypes were. He said that looking at a portrait through a magnifying glass made it seem like the person was "moulded in wax." He also noted how these photos could keep memories of loved ones who were far away or had passed on.
Despite the art criticism, his royal portraits were called "very beautiful." When he moved to Brighton in 1864, Mayall advertised himself as an "Artist and Photographer." He even had a sign in his studio asking people to let the "artist" guide them.
One of his most important photos is of Sergeant Thomas Dawson and his daughter. Sergeant Dawson had lost an arm in battle.
Returning to England
Mayall came back to London from America in 1846. By 1848, he was advertising himself as "Mr. Mayall of Philadelphia, United States." He named his studio and gallery the "American Daguerreotype Institution."
Famous Portraits
Mayall took a daguerreotype portrait of the famous writer Charles Dickens between 1853 and 1855. This photo was later sold for a lot of money.
In May 1860, Mayall took many photos of the British Royal Family. He was allowed to print these photos as small cards called cartes-de-visite. In August 1860, a special collection called The Royal Album was released. It had 14 small portraits of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children.
The Royal Album was a huge hit! Hundreds of thousands were sold. People in Britain started collecting these small photo cards of famous people. This trend became very popular, thanks to Mayall's royal portraits.
Another set of royal portraits by Mayall came out in 1861. When Prince Albert died in December 1861, there was a massive demand for his portrait. One newspaper reported that 70,000 of his cartes-de-visite were ordered in just one week after his death. By the end of the 1860s, Mayall had earned a lot of money from his royal portraits. This made the carte de visite his most popular type of photo. His studio produced over half a million of these cards each year.
Moving to Brighton
In 1864, Mayall left his oldest son, Edwin, in charge of his London studios. He moved to Brighton with his wife and two younger sons. On July 18, 1864, he opened a new photography studio at 90-91 Kings Road, near the Grand Hotel.
He announced that he had created "one of the most efficient studios ever built" for important people visiting Brighton. He also made sure his prices were fair so that everyone could afford his excellent photos. For example, a set of 12 cartes-de-visite cost £1.1s.
In 1880, he moved his business to Bond Street, London.
Mayall the Inventor
Mayall saw himself as a pioneer and inventor in photography. He brought new methods and exciting ideas to the art of taking pictures.
Personal Life
Mayall's son, John Junior, made history on February 19, 1869. He became the first person to cycle all the way from London to Brighton! The Times newspaper reported his sixteen-hour ride the next day.
Mayall's wife, Eliza, passed away in Brighton in 1870. The next year, in December 1871, he married Celia Victoria Hooper. They had three more children: Elsie Lena, Oswald, and Sibyl.
Later in his life, Mayall faced financial difficulties in 1885. This was partly because of the high cost of setting up his Bond Street studio with electricity. In 1888, his business was bought by another company, and he became a managing director.
Mayall died on March 6, 1901, at the age of 88, in Southwick, West Sussex. He was buried in Lancing, West Sussex.
Images for kids
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Charles Dickens (around 1853–1855)
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Sergeant Dawson and His Daughter (1855)
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Queen Victoria (1860)
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Karl Marx (1875)
