Penitenciary Collection

The Count of Monte Christo, ca 1850-60 (illustration)
7422840 The Count of Monte Christo, ca 1850-60 (illustration); (add.info.: Literature. The Count of Monte Christo, novel by Alexandre Dumas (1844)

Saint Peter in prison, 15th century (miniature)
AIS5340635 Saint Peter in prison, 15th century (miniature); Archivo de la Corona de Aragon, Barcelona, Spain; (add.info.: Miniature from " Misal de San Cugat del Valles "); © Iberfoto

Prison Ship York in Portsmouth Harbour, 1807 (etching)
7341890 Prison Ship York in Portsmouth Harbour, 1807 (etching) by Cooke, Edward William (1811-80); 21.6x28.4 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

Portrait of Baroness Staal imprisoned after the conspiracy of Cellamare, 1844 (engraving)
ELD4958015 Portrait of Baroness Staal imprisoned after the conspiracy of Cellamare, 1844 (engraving); Private Collection; (add.info.: Portrait of Marguerite de Launay)

Warder inspecting a prison cell, 1889
3479511 Warder inspecting a prison cell, 1889; (add.info.: Warder inspects a prison cell, before locking up prisoner for the night. Wormwood scrubs prison, London)

Alexandrevsky Central Prison, Siberia, 1850
3479368 Alexandrevsky Central Prison, Siberia, 1850; (add.info.: Alexandrevsky Central Prison, Siberia, Russia.); Universal History Archive/UIG

American prison life, 1850
3479365 American prison life, 1850; (add.info.: American prison life: New York City house of correction, Blackwell's Island. Convicts on outdoor work.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Newgate Prison in London 1800, 1800
3479352 Newgate Prison in London 1800, 1800; (add.info.: Newgate Prison in London, 1800.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Portland Prison Dorset, 1884
3479344 Portland Prison Dorset, 1884; (add.info.: Portland Prison Dorset Convicts working in the stone quarries. The prisoners were given education classes in the evening)

Warships at anchor, 1850
3479382 Warships at anchor, 1850; (add.info.: Warships at anchor at the mouth of the Thames awaiting the tide. The vessel on the right is a sailing vessel while the one next to her is transitional)

Convicts working, 1888
3479343 Convicts working, 1888; (add.info.: Convicts working in the stone quarries on the island of Portland. Dated 15th December 1888.); Universal History Archive/UIG

An inmate having his picture taken, 1850
3478171 An inmate having his picture taken, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting an inmate of Newgate Prison for police records. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG

The convict hulk Warrior, 1850
3330675 The convict hulk Warrior, 1850; (add.info.: Engraving of the chapel on board the convict hulk Warrior'. This hulk held 600 prisoners who were used as labour in the government dockyards)

Chained woman, 19th century (oil on canvas)
AIS5356079 Chained woman, 19th century (oil on canvas); Prado, Madrid, Spain; (add.info.: Chained woman. Painting by Eugenio Lucas y Padilla)

View of the boat prison (or hulk) Justitia, with inmates doing forced labour at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich (London)
MMM5485416 View of the boat prison (or hulk) Justitia, with inmates doing forced labour at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich (London, England); National Maritime Museum, London

Engraving depicting Pentonville Prison, London, 19th century
5308889 Engraving depicting Pentonville Prison, London, 19th century; (add.info.: Engraving depicting Pentonville Prison, London. Dated 19th century 01/02/1843); Universal History Archive/UIG

Fidelio, opera by L. van Beethoven. c.1900 (chromo)
3433692 Fidelio, opera by L. van Beethoven. c.1900 (chromo); (add.info.: Music. Classical music. Fidelio, opera by L. van Beethoven. Imagery, France, ca 1900.); Photo © CCI

Disturbed inmate, 1889
3479379 Disturbed inmate, 1889; (add.info.: Disturbed inmate of Woking jail placed in the padded cell. 7th September 1889.); Universal History Archive/UIG

American prison life, 1850
3479367 American prison life, 1850; (add.info.: American prison life: New York City house of correction, Blackwell's Island. Convicts returning from outdoor work.); Universal History Archive/UIG

American prison life, 1850
3479366 American prison life, 1850; (add.info.: American prison life: New York City house of correction, Blackwell's Island.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Thames barge carrying hay, a prison hulk and other shipping at Rochester, on the River Medway, 1822 (mezzotint)
7341807 Thames barge carrying hay, a prison hulk and other shipping at Rochester, on the River Medway, 1822 (mezzotint) by Turner

Women prisoners, 1889
3479358 Women prisoners, 1889; (add.info.: Women prisoners working in the laundry. Fulham refuge, London. From a print published London 1889.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Women prisoners, 1889
3479357 Women prisoners, 1889; (add.info.: Women prisoners working the pump during fire drill - Fulham Refuge, London. Illustration published London, 1889.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Nottingham, 1885
3479349 Nottingham, 1885; (add.info.: Nottingham: the old town hall and prison. Dated 1885.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Carpenter's shop, 1884
3479342 Carpenter's shop, 1884; (add.info.: Carpenter's shop in Portsmouth prison, Hampshire, England. Convicts working under supervision)

Convicted prisoner, 1867
3479445 Convicted prisoner, 1867; (add.info.: Convicted prisoner defiantly expressing his opinion of authority as he is taken from court to prison in a police van a black Maria illustrated by)

An early method of taking mug shots, 1850
3478390 An early method of taking mug shots, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting an early method of taking mug shots of criminals. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour with the convicts going on board, 1829 (etching)
7341761 Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour with the convicts going on board, 1829 (etching) by Cooke, Edward William (1811-80); 20.9x28.9 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

Portrait of Captain Sidney Smith (1764-1840), imprisoned at the Abbey of Paris, captured in 1795
MMM5481764 Portrait of Captain Sidney Smith (1764-1840), imprisoned at the Abbey of Paris, captured in 1795, during the wars of the French Revolution, on the coast of France

Fleet Prison, 1843
3479360 Fleet Prison, 1843; (add.info.: Interior courtyard at the Fleet Prison. Dated 1843.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Newgate prison, 1881
3479354 Newgate prison, 1881; (add.info.: Newgate prison, London. Prisoners attending Sunday service in the prison chapel. From a print published London, 1881.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Newgate prison, 1881
3479353 Newgate prison, 1881; (add.info.: Newgate prison, London. The condemned cell. From a print published London 1881.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Dinner parade, 1889
3479524 Dinner parade, 1889; (add.info.: Dinner parade. Cooks waiting for the Governor. Wormwood Scrubs. From The Graphic, London, 12th October, 1889.); Universal History Archive/UIG

The York Convict Hulk in Portsmouth Harbour with another hulk beyond, 1833 (graphite)
7341739 The York Convict Hulk in Portsmouth Harbour with another hulk beyond, 1833 (graphite) by Cooke, Edward William (1811-80); 10.2x24.4 cm; National Maritime Museum, London

Tread mill, 1835
3479377 Tread mill, 1835; (add.info.: Tread mill at Brixton prison. Introduced for prison discipline by William Cubitt of Ipswich. Dated 1835.); Universal History Archive/UIG

American prison life, 1850
3479364 American prison life, 1850; (add.info.: American prison life: New York City house of correction, Blackwell's Island. The dining room.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Dartmoor Prison, 1884
3479363 Dartmoor Prison, 1884; (add.info.: Dartmoor Prison: Scenes of convict life. Printed 1884.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Dartmoor Prison, 1884
3479362 Dartmoor Prison, 1884; (add.info.: Dartmoor Prison: Penal Servitude the middle panel shows prisoners in the tailoring shop making uniforms)

The Fleet Prison, 1808
3479361 The Fleet Prison, 1808; (add.info.: The Fleet Prison. Playing fives and shittles in the courtyard, circa 1808.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Newgate prison, 1881
3479355 Newgate prison, 1881; (add.info.: Gate of Newgate prison. From Walter Thornbury old and new London. London 1881.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Carpets in the prison at Peshawar, 1885
3479351 Carpets in the prison at Peshawar, 1885; (add.info.: Convicts are shown seated making carpets in the prison at Peshawar, dated 1885.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Pentonville prison, 1843
3479348 Pentonville prison, 1843; (add.info.: Model prison on the separate system - Pentonville. Dated September 1843.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Convicts working, 1884
3479345 Convicts working, 1884; (add.info.: Convicts working in the stone quarries Portland, Dorset. 31st May 1884.); Universal History Archive/UIG

The French method of mounting mug shots, 1850
3478428 The French method of mounting mug shots, 1850; (add.info.: Engraving depicting the French method of mounting mug shots of criminals. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG

The prison colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, c.1900-10s (postcard)
7886294 The prison colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, c.1900-10s (postcard); Private Collection; (add.info.: The agricultural and maritime penitentiary colony of Belle-Isle-en-Mer)

The prison colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, c.1900-10s (postcard)
7886282 The prison colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, c.1900-10s (postcard); Private Collection; (add.info.: The agricultural and maritime penitentiary colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer (Belle Ile en Mer)

The prison colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, 1909 (postcard)
7879441 The prison colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, 1909 (postcard); Private Collection; (add.info.: The agricultural and maritime penitentiary colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer (Belle Ile en Mer)

The prison colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, 1909 (postcard)
7879438 The prison colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, 1909 (postcard); Private Collection; (add.info.: The agricultural and maritime penitentiary colony of Belle-Ile-en-Mer (Belle Ile en Mer)

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"Exploring the Layers of Penitentiary: From Cells to Liberation" Step into the past with a glimpse into the prison life at Fresnes in 1907, as captured in a print showcasing the stark reality of confinement. The library within those walls offers a glimmer of hope, where knowledge becomes an escape route for some. Intriguingly, Saint Peter takes center stage on a throne surrounded by biblical scenes painted on wood. This artwork reminds us that even within the confines of imprisonment, faith and spirituality can provide solace and strength. Delve further back in time to witness St. John the Baptist's life cycle depicted through frescoes. One panel portrays him imprisoned, emphasizing his unwavering dedication to his beliefs despite adversity. A predella panel reveals another aspect of prison life - baptism behind bars. Witnessing this holy deacon baptizing a neophyte serves as a powerful reminder that redemption can be found even in the darkest corners. The storming of Bastille in 1789 marked a turning point in history and symbolized liberation from oppression. An oil painting immortalizes this event, capturing M. De Launay's arrest amidst chaos and revolution. Nicola Vaccaro's oil painting depicts an intense moment - the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. It serves as a somber reminder that prisons have witnessed not only captivity but also martyrdom throughout history. Shifting gears to more contemporary times, we encounter La Citoyenne Tallien portrayed on canvas during her lifetime (1773-1835). Her story reflects how individuals can transition from prisoners themselves to influential figures who shape society. A statue carved from grey granite stands tall; it represents an anonymous prisoner from Egypt's New Kingdom era at Qasr el Koba archaeological site. A silent testimony reminding us that countless lives were once confined within these stone walls. Saint Peter emerges again, this time released from prison depicted in an oil painting.