[Emperor Maximilian's Death Carriage]

This albumen silver print, titled "[Emperor Maximilian's Death Carriage]," captures a somber moment from a pivotal historical event in Mexico. Created in 1867 by an artist identified only as Noriega, this photograph belongs to a series of eleven works in The Met's collection, all from the same year and all albumen silver prints related to Emperor Maximilian. Other works in this series include scenes of imprisonment, execution sites, and portraits of key figures like General Tomas Mejia and General Misamon, indicating Noriega likely documented the final days and aftermath of Maximilian's reign. The medium itself, an albumen silver print from a glass negative, was a common photographic process of the era, known for its fine detail and rich tonality, which would have lent a stark realism to these historical records. Given the subject matter, it's clear Noriega was an eyewitness or close observer of these dramatic events, providing a unique visual chronicle of a turbulent period in Mexican history.