Russia, Imperial. A Rare Photograph of 1885 Ceremony with Tsar Alexander III

Black and white photograph, faded to a sepia-toned look, obverse illustrating an official Russian Orthodox ceremony taking place in front of a large tent involving Tsar Alexander III, with numerous individuals in military attire, along with others in flowing robes throughout the panorama, the campus decorated with various flags and pennants, a large banner with the crowned cypher of the Tsar emblazoned upon it behind the tent, with a flag flying from the flagpole above, measuring 155 mm x 253 mm, inscribed in hand written black ink "1885." below the photograph, mounted to an off-white card, reverse with a one word inscription in pencil at the upper left, 242 mm x 310 mm, card is aged soiled with light spotting and a small indentation on the photograph itself, slight wear in the paper backing on the reverse, very fine.

Footnote: Alexander III (March 10 [O.S. February 26], 1845 - November 1 [O.S. October 20], 1894) was the Emperor of Russia, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from March 13 [O.S. 1 March], 1881 until his death on November 1 [O.S. October 20], 1894. He was highly conservative and reversed some of the liberal reforms of his father, Alexander II. During Alexander's reign Russia fought no major wars, for which he was styled "The Peacemaker".