Photo 487(73)

Genre: Portrait Photography

Portrait of Pierre Louis Cavagnari, seated in the centre of a group of Afghan tribal leaders at Jalalabad, probably in early 1879, after the occupation of Jalalabad (December 1878), but before the signing of the Treaty of Gandamak (May 1879). This photograph was reproduced in 'The Graphic' of 13 September 1879, after Cavagnari's assassination in Kabul at the beginning of that month. The text accompanying the reproduced version reads: 'This engraving, which is taken from a photograph by Mr. John Burke of Peshawur, represents one of those meetings which so frequently took place between the late Sir P. L. Cavagnari and the leaders of the semi-independent tribes who, but for his conciliatory negotiations, would probably have added immensely to the difficulties of the late campaign.' A key beneath the published reproduction identifies a number of the Afghan sitters in the group: 'Doodzaller Jehsildar' (second row, extreme left); 'Sirdar Ali Mahomed Khan' (second row, second from left); 'Sirdar Wally Mahomed' (second row, third from left); 'Sirdar Nuksh Baud Khan' (front row, extreme left); 'Badshah Kunar Sayud' (front row, second from left); 'Sirdar Kala Khan' (front row, second from right).