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National Anthropological Archives
Ernest Roblin photograph of execution of Pedro Prestán, 1885
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NAA.PhotoLot.81-54
- Creators:
-
Roblin, Ernest
- Dates:
-
1885
- Languages:
-
Undetermined.
- Physical Description:
-
1 Albumen printmounted
- Repository:
Scope and Contents note
Scope and Contents note
Photograph depicting Pedro Prestán hanging from gallows on railway tracks, with an open coffin and five men standing nearby and others in the background. Prestán was hung in Apsinwall, now called Colon, Panama, on August 18, 1885.
Biographical/Historical note
Biographical/Historical note
Ernest Roblin joined the Societe Francaise de Photographie in 1880. Around 1885 he left Paris and opened a studio in Granville, which he called Photographie Parisienne. He changed the name in 1890 to the Photographie Maritime Castel-Photo.
Pedro Prestán was a rebel against the Colombian government. In 1885, he seized Aspinwall, Panama, including the American ship Colon and other American property. Threatened by government troops following United States intervention, the insurgents burned the city and abandoned it. Later the same year, the insurgents were captured and hanged.
Nathan Appleton was an American agent for Compagnie universelle du canal interocéanique de Panama, a French company attempting to build a canal across Panama, from 1881 through 1888. He probably obtained the photograph during this time.
Administration
Author
Sarah Ganderup
Existence and Location of Copies note
Digital surrogate is available.
Custodial History note
Donated by Nathan Appleton to the National Museum in 1891 as part of accession 24212. Transferred from the Department of Anthropology Processing Lab to the National Anthropological Archives in 1981.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access note
The collection is open for research.
Access to the collection requires an appointment.
Conditions Governing Use note
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Preferred Citation note
Photo lot 81-54, Ernest Roblin photograph of execution of Pedro Prestán, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Location of Other Archival Materials
Location of Other Archival Materials
The Library of Congress holds the Nathan Appleton papers, 1850-1904.
Location of Other Archival Materials
Appleton donated five other photographs to the Department of Anthropology in accession 24212.
More Information
Local Call Number(s)
Local Call Number(s)
NAA Photo Lot 81-54
, USNM ACC 24212
Keywords
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Panamanians | Cultural Context | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Photographs | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Panama | Geographic | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Colon (Panama) | Geographic | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Hanging | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Prestán, Pedro, 1852-1885 | Personal Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Appleton, Nathan, 1843-1906 | Personal Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Photographie Parisienne, photography studio | Corporate Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
National Anthropological Archives
Museum Support Center
4210 Silver Hill Road
Suitland, Maryland 20746
naa@si.edu
