A portrait of 'General Bourbaki'

The photograph employs the carte‑de‑visite format, a small, album‑friendly card popular in the 1860s‑70s. Produced by a company known for stereoscopic images, the picture is rendered in black and white with a shallow depth of field that isolates the subject against a neutral background. The crisp rendering of uniform details, such as medals and gold buttons, demonstrates the high‑quality silver‑gelatin process used by the studio.

After its creation, the carte‑de‑visite entered the Windsor Collection, having been transferred from Windsor Castle. The movement of the item is documented by Royal Librarian Owen Morshead, who recorded its inclusion in the royal holdings. Its presence in the collection underscores the broader interest of the British royal household in contemporary European military figures during the era.