Photograph of Nicholas II family on board of the yacht TSAREVNA, 1899

Very rare original photograph of the members of Nicholas II family on board of the Imperial yacht TSAREVNA during their visit to Denmark in 1899, photograph - 9 3/16 x 11 5/8 in. (23,4 x 29,5 cm), photo board - 11 1/2 x 13 3/4 in. (29 x 34,8 cm). Condition: numerous faint scratches and some small rubbed areas, apparently it was displayed without a glass for a long time, otherwise clean and sharp.

The rarity of this image is in its informal, intimate setting. Unlike official portraits, such in-house photographs were intended for family members only and were not sold to general public by photo studios .

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An identical photograph from the same negative is reproduced in the photo album "The Last Tsar" by Larissa Yermilova, Parkstone Press/Planeta, England/Russia, 1996, page 117. In the book, the ship is misattributed to the Imperial yacht "Polar Star".

Another photograph of that visit with the same participants from the collection of the Peterhof Museum is published in "Empress Maria Fiodorovna", Abris Publishers, St. Petersburg/Peterhof, 2006, page 96. On the museum's photograph, daughter of Nicholas II Grand Duchess Olga and children of Xenia are posing with the Royal family.

A child's writing in Cyrillic on reverse: "The Steamer Tsarevna."

Almost certainly, the photograph was inscribed by a child from the Imperial family at the time of the visit or at a later date. The most obvious candidates are children of Nicholas II or Xenia.

Nicholas II is standing behind King Christian IX of Denmark. He is wearing white Navy uniform with a mourning black ribbon on his left sleeve. The visit took place during the anniversary of Queen Louise's death (Empress Maria's mother).

Empress Maria Feodorovna (mother of Nicholas II), Danish princess by birth, is seated next to her father; her younger daughter, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, is in front of the king.

Grand Duke Michael (1878-1918), the younger brother of Nicholas II, is seated on the carpet.

The older sister of Nicholas II - Grand Duchess Xenia (Ksenia).

Xenia's husband - Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich.

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (wife of Nicholas II) and two Russian Navy Officers.

Name of Danish photographer Eneberettigot impressed in the lower right corner of the photograph; address of the photo studio printed on the board.

Model of the yacht TSAREVNA. The place where the photo was taken is marked in red.

TSAREVNA was a private yacht of Empress Maria Feodorovna.

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