[General Tomas Mejia, Emperor Maximilian, General Misamon]

This stark triptych of photographic portraits captures three figures at the heart of a pivotal moment in Mexican history: Emperor Maximilian and two of his generals, Tomás Mejía and Miguel Miramón. Created in 1867, the year of Maximilian's execution, these albumen silver prints from glass negatives possess a raw, almost documentarian quality. The figures are presented in simple, unadorned ovals, a common format for portraiture of the era, yet their expressions convey a sense of gravity, perhaps even resignation. The decision to group these three together underscores their shared fate, offering a poignant visual record of the final days of the Second Mexican Empire. The clarity and detail achieved through the albumen silver print process allow for an intimate examination of their faces, uniforms, and the somber mood of the time.