Impressively coloured photographic portrait of the Saudi crown prince Saud (1902-1969), by the eminent London photographic studio Lafayette. Prince Saud, the future King Saud of Saudi Arabia, had been appointed crown prince in 1933 and fought in the 1934 war against Yemen. After the war his father encouraged him to travel abroad, and over the next few years he visited Saudi-Arabia's neighbours, Europe and the United States. While in London, Prince Saud had his portrait taken by the Lafayette studio, originally established in Dublin in 1880. It is no coincidence that Prince Saud chose a firm that had photographed numerous emperors, kings, sultans, earls, early movie stars, etc. The firm would also provide hand coloured prints on request, and the current photograph is an example of the very high quality they provided. The photograph of Prince Saud was coloured by painting over the photograph with watercolours and pastel. A subsequent treatment made it possible to use tiny drops of oil paint to highlight the gold trimming on his robe, the jewels and pearls on his sword and the small lights in his eyes.
In very good condition, with only very minor craquelure. A colour portrait of the future King Saud of Arabia: a photograph enhanced by an expert painter, from the leading British firm for the genre. For Lafayette: Russell Harris, Narrated in calm prose.