Lithograph portrait of Maria Manning after a daguerreotype by Laroche – London, 1849

Maria Manning – lithograph after a daguerreotype, 1849

A remarkable and rare Victorian lithograph of Maria Manning (c. 1821–1849), the central figure in one of the most notorious murder cases of 19th-century London: the ‘Bermondsey Horror’. Together with her husband she murdered her lover Patrick O’Connor in 1849; the couple were publicly hanged in November 1849, watched by, among others, Charles Dickens. The caption reads: ‘Maria Manning. From a Daguerreotype taken by Mr. Laroche during the Investigation at the Southwark Police Court, Sept. 6th 1849’ and ‘Published by Mr. Laroche at the Photographic Rooms, 65 Oxford Street, London’. An early example of a print after a photograph in a true crime case.

Why we chose this piece

This print tells an incredible story: photography, the sensationalist press and the courts come together here in 1849. A piece you do not come across often.

Style and interior

Suits a Victorian, dark classic or curiosities interior, a library, or a collection on the history of photography or crime.

Dimensions: 27.8 × 38.2 cm
Subject: Maria Manning (c. 1821–1849)
After: daguerreotype by Martin Laroche, 6 September 1849
Publisher: Mr. Laroche, 65 Oxford Street, London
Technique: lithograph
Period: 1849
Condition: Fair. The paper is toned and has scattered spots (foxing) and some stains in the margins; the edges are worn with small creases and a slightly frayed edge (photo 1). The portrait itself is good.

Price:
€ 110

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