صورة رجل من الشرفاء

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length portrait shows a man, described as a ‘member of a shereef family’, i.e. a descendant of Muhammad via his daughter Fatima. He faces forward, looking toward the camera.

The man wears a mid-coloured outer-robe over a pale-coloured robe with a large janbiya held at his waist with a dark-coloured sash. His mid-coloured keffiyeh is held in place by an agal.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the background has been substituted completely and the pattern in the carpet on which he stands has been reinscribed.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XVI

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

128 x 95 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XVI’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة رجل من الشرفاء

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length seated portrait shows a man, described as a ‘member of a shereef family’, i.e. a descendant of Muhammad via his daughter Fatima. He faces slightly left and looks forward.

The man wears a dark-coloured outer-robe over a pale-coloured robe, open at the neck. A large janbiya is held at his waist. His keffiyeh is held in place by a dark-coloured agal.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XVI

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

127 x 96 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XVI’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة رجلين من الشرفاء

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length portrait shows two men, described as ‘members of various shereef families,' i.e. a descendant of Muhammad via his daughter Fatima.They face slightly left, looking forward.

Both men wear dark-coloured outer-robes over a pale-coloured robes, open at the neck. Each wears a large janbiya held at his waist with a dark-coloured sash. On their heads they wear pale-coloured turbans and they each hold the handle of an umbrella or parasol in their right hands: that of the man on the right is pale-coloured while that of the man on the left is dark-coloured.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XVI

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

127 x 96 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XVI’

Written in
German in Latin script

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This dark-coloured print reproduces a section of the patterns inscribed on the kiswa, the black brocade cloth that covers the Caaba.

Lighter lined areas delineated the decorative script and surrounding zigzag patterns. Within the zigzagged middle section of the piece the words of the shahāda are written – ‘lā ‘ilāha illā-llāh, muḥammadun rasūlu-llāh’ – the Muslim profession of faith.

The word ‘Allah’ is twice repeated in the chevron-shaped below this.

The title indicates that this reproduction is a quarter of the size of the original.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XVII

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Ein Stück der Kiswah (der brokanten Bekleidung der Ka’bah). ¼ der Originalgrِsse.’

Extent and format
1 print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

169 x 227 mm

Format:

1 print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XVII’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة 12 رجلا يحمل بعضهم آلات موسيقية، وصفهم صاحب الكتاب ب "العبيد الزنوج"

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This two-colour printed drawing shows a troupe of twelve seated and standing men, several holding musical instruments. They are described as ‘negro slaves’ and are part of the ‘tumburah orchestra’.

The word ‘tumburah’ (also: Tanbūr, Tanbura, Tambura or Tanboor) refers to the six-stringed harp-like musical instrument held by the man seated at centre. The instrument is adorned with two fans of feathers and is apparently plucked with the fingers.

Four other men sit or crouch, holding various drums between their knees. To the right of the man at centre a man stands, wearing a form of girdle, which is perhaps decorated with sheep’s hooves as described in the 1931 translation of Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje’s Mekka in the Latter Part of the 19th Century: Daily Life, Customs and Learning (pp. 11–12).

Although the drawing may have been taken from a photograph, the illustrator has portrayed the faces of the men in a way that makes evident certain nineteenth century racial preconceptions and ideologies.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XVII

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Negersklaven mit dem Ṯْmburah-orchester.’

Extent and format
1 print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

214 x 264 mm

Format:

1 print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XVII’

Written in
German in Latin script

حاجّان من منطقة سوكابورا (جاوة الشرقية حاليا؛ إندونيسيا)

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full-length seated portrait shows two men, described as [Muslim] pilgrims from Sukapura, an area in modern-day East Java.

The man on the right wears a checked jacket over a checked sarong, which may be a form of teluk beskap . He wears a stripe-printed turban on his head, sandals on his feet and across his body is a dark-coloured strap. The man on the left also wears a shirt-jacket and sarong of pale-colour, which may be a teluk beskap , as well as a pale-coloured turban on his head.

The negative has had hand-work applied, particularly about the feet.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XIX

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Pilger aus Sukapura (Java).’

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower left corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

138 x 98 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XIX’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة حاجّين من منطقة سولاوسي (جزيرة إندونيسية)

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full-length seated portrait shows two [Muslim] Buginese pilgrims from Sulawesi, an island in Indonesia formerly known as Celebes.

The man on the right wears a mid-coloured robe or jacket and sarong, which may be a form of teluk beskap, over an embroidered waistcoat. He wears a printed turban on his head and sandals on his feet. The man on the left wears a jacket and checked sarong, which may be a teluk beskap, as well as a turban on his head.

The two men are seated on chairs in a courtyard-like space with foliage visible in the background.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XIX

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Buginesische Pilger (Celébes).’

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Written in
German in Latin script

صورة حاجين من سولوك، سومطرة، إندونيسيا

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This portrait shows two [Muslim] pilgrims from Solok, a city in West Sumatra. Both men squat face-foward, looking towards the camera.

The man on the right wears a patterned-turban and pale-coloured shirt, open at the neck as well as sandals on his feet. He holds a piece of paper in his left hand. Similarly, the man on left wears a dark-coloured hat, a shirt and sarong or trousers, leather shoes and a ring on his right little finger. He also holdsa piece of paper in his left hand.

The two men are photographed in a courtyard-like space with foliage visible in the background.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XIX

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Pilger aus Solok (Sumلtra).’

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower left corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

138 x 98 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XIX’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة حاجّة من منطقة بانتن، إندونيسيا

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full-length seated portrait shows a woman, described as a [Muslim] pilgrim from Banten, the westernmost province on the island of Java. She sits face forward, looking towards the camera.

The woman is dressed in white hijab, which covers her from head to foot. Her head piece is particularly wide and is shaped like an inverse-boat. On her feet she wears embellished slippers and she appears to be holding a printed cloth or handkerchief in her left hand.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the background has been substituted completely, and the ground to the right of her leg seems to be entirely reinscribed.

Temporal Context:

The photograph was taken between 7 and 17 November 1884, according to Durkje van der Wal in his publication Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje: The First Western Photographer in Mecca, 1884-1885, Amsterdam : Manfred & Hanna Heiting Fund, Rijksmuseum, 2011, p. 36. This attribution is based on unpublished diaries and correspondence in the Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje Archive, University of Leiden Library.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XIX

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Pilgerin aus Banten (Java).’

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the right left corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

139 x 98 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XIX’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة لثلاثة حجّاج من البصرة، العراق

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full-length seated portrait shows three pilgrims from Baçrah (latterly Basra or Basrah), in modern-day Iraq. They sit facing the camera.

The man on the right is dressed in a vertically striped robe with a sash at his waist and a turban of printed material on his head. The man in the middle wears a predominantly white checked robe with a mid-coloured outer robe open over it, a sash at his waist and a printed turban on his head. He holds a pen-shaped object in his right hand. The man on the left wears a dark-outer robe over several other layers of clothing. His head is covered by a keffiyeh (or ghutrah) held in place by an agal made of twisted cloth. In his left hand the man holds a pen-shaped object, spherically shaped at one end.

The three men are photographed in a courtyard-like space with foliage visible in the background.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XX

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Pilger aus Baçrah.’

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower left corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

103 x 138 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XX’

Written in
German in Latin script