3-021-139 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Fetes of the Viceroy of Egypt at Cairo: the Ball, 1869. 'The Viceroy of Egypt celebrated the anniversary of his accession, on January 18, by a series of festivities [which we have] engraved from sketches taken by our Special Artist...A new palace, which is said to have cost about one million sterling, has been built by the Viceroy at Gezireh...Here the Viceroy gave a grand ball to about 2500 persons, at the expense of £30,000...all the superbly-furnished state-rooms had been thrown open. They contained an array of female beauty of almost every nationality, bedecked in the height of the Paris fashions; while the dresses of the gentlemen mingled diverse national, civil, and military garbs with the more sombre-looking evening dress. The scene was enhanced by the perfect playing of the waltzes of Strauss and Gungl. Nothing could surpass the affability of the august host to all classes, or his solicitude that all should be equally pleased. The Viceroy invited a favoured few to his supper-table in one of the large rooms, exacting at it no more attention than he desired for the many who were seated at the surrounding ones. Afterwards, again proceeding to the ball-room, he remained until the dawn of day'. From "Illustrated London News", 1869.