King Chulalongkorn

This portrait of Rama V (r. 1868–1910) was taken before the king left for his first journey to Europe in April 1897. Here, Rama V is dressed in a Napoleonic garment, emulating the fashion of a European monarch and the Western conventions of royal portraiture. Through his camera lens, Lenz not only presents a glimpse into an interior space where the king resides, but also suggests a sense of intimacy that is afforded by the tactile and accessible print. Photography, in this context, confers the idea that the king can be looked upon in private, domestic settings.