KITCHENER HERBERT: (1850-1916) 1st Earl Kitchener. Irish-born British Field Marshal and colonial adm

KITCHENER HERBERT: (1850-1916) 1st Earl Kitchener. Irish-born British Field Marshal and colonial adm

KITCHENER HERBERT: (1850-1916) 1^st Earl Kitchener. Irish-born British Field Marshal and colonial administrator. An extremely rare and highly unusual large vintage signed 21.5 x 16.5 sepia photograph by Kitchener and six of the seven members of his mission to Japan comprising Henry Rawlinson (1864-1925; 1^st Baron Rawlinson, British General), William Lambton (1863-1936; British Major-General), Leopold Greville (1882-1928; Lord Brooke, 6^th Earl of Warwick, British Brigadier General), Tsuneyoshi Murata (1838-1921; Japanese Major, inventor of the Murata rifle), Nagayuki Asano (1864-1947; Japanese head of the Asano clan which ruled over Hiroshima Domain) and Lieutenant Colonel Yoshida. The image, which also features Captain Oswald Fitzgerald (1875-1916; British military officer with the 18^th Bengal Lancers and Kitchener's 'constant and inseparable companion' whom he appointed his aide-de-camp), depicts Kitchener and the other officers standing together in full-length poses, each wearing their uniforms and medals, in the grounds of the Shiba Palace, Tokyo, in November 1909. Photograph by Shibata of Tokyo. Signed by the six in dark fountain pen inks to a light area at the base of the image, some adding their ranks alongside their signatures. Some light age wear and a few minor stains and scuffs, most evident to the photographer's mount. About VG

 

Kitchener served as Commander-in-Chief, India, from 1902-09 and had been promoted to the highest army rank of Field Marshal in September 1909. As part of a tour to Australia and New Zealand Kitchener visited China and Japan and it was at the latter that he and his staff were treated as official guests of the nation; a palace at Tokyo was set aside for their use, a ceremonial reception was accorded to them and an invitation to attend the Imperial Manoeuvres was pressed on them. It was on the occasion of the Imperial Grand Japanese Manoeuvres that the present photograph was taken.