Black Horseman in Front of a Doorway

This photograph of a horseman before a doorway dates from around 1855. His uniform marks him as a major in the Chasseurs d'Afrique, a cavalry corps of France's colonial army in Africa. By that date, African people were living in France, so he may have grown up there or arrived from Africa for training. The image may be among the earliest photographic portraits of a high-ranking Black military officer. It belongs to the tradition of equestrian portraiture, which reaches back to ancient Greece and Rome, where horse and rider suggested power and status. It is a salt print made from a wet collodion negative.

On your wall: Its black and white tones and formal, historical subject suit a study, library, hallway or living room, particularly alongside other photographs or traditional furnishings.