In the 20th century, what was happening in the world was mainly put on paper by illustrators, as photography was still very complex and expensive. Similar to photojournalists today, the illustrators of that time travelled to crisis and war zones and delivered detailed images of the events back home. Melton Prior is one of the most important illustrators and war correspondents of the Victorian era, famous for his ability to draw scenes on paper at breathtaking speed.
Melton Prior was born in London in 1845 and was, in a way, born into the cradle of creativity and artistic genius. Already his father was a well-known landscape artist, painter and illustrator. In 1873 the "Illustrated London News", one of the most important and influential newspapers of the time, obliged Prior to travel to West Africa and document the Ashanti Wars. This was followed by coverage of the Carlist Wars in Spain, the events in Herzegovina and the Russian-Turkish War. During the Zulu War in South Africa, Prior witnessed and documented the final battle of Ulundi and was present when the body of the Imperial Prince of France was discovered. Prior was also at the forefront of the Boer Wars, the conquest of Ladysmith, and numerous other conflicts, documenting many important and history-changing events.
His ability to put scenes and illustrations on paper with many details in a very short time meant that the "Illustrated London News" was able to react relatively quickly to historical events and report on them, often with Prio's drawings on the front page. Thereby, the newspaper mainly influenced the middle class in England but also many social and political decisions. Prior's sketches and drawings were sent by express courier from the trouble spots back to London, where they were traced by studio artists and engraved on blocks of wood to be printed in masses afterwards. It was also thanks to Prior that the newspaper achieved record circulations and was one of the most important news institutions worldwide at the time.
Prior's last assignments took him on the Somaliland expedition and all the way to Asia to report on the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. His work directly in war and crisis zones and his intrepid attitude and courage earned him great admiration and veneration, especially in his home country, and he was one of the most influential and first war correspondents of his time. Milton Prior died in London in 1910 at the age of 65, a few years after returning from Asia.
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.jpg "The Queen")
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.jpg "The Zulu War, Death of Lieutenant Frith in Skirmish at Erzungayan Hill by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Correspondents Under Fire, the Enemy")
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.jpg "The Germans in China, Street Scene in Kiao-Chau by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Transvaal War, the Surrender of Johannesburg by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Headquarters of General Sir G White at Ladysmith, Showing Dug-Out Made for the General by His Staff by Melton Prior")
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 13 Marc - (MeisterDrucke-295994).jpg "The War in the Soudan, Battle of Tamasi by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Siege of Ladysmith by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Black Mountain Expedition, Flying Bridge across the Indus at Bakrai by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Eastern Crisis, Refugees from Kandamos landing on the Quay at Canea by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Across Two Oceans, the Panama Ship Canal by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The War in the Soudan, the Battle of Abou Klea, Our Square Advancing to the Attack by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Boer Ambuscade at Koorn Spruit, the Heroic Action of the Royal Horse Artillery saves the Situation by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Opening of the Melbourne Exhibition, the Governor of Victoria, Sir H B Loch, declaring the Exhibition open in the Queen")
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.jpg "The Royal Wedding at Coburg, the Wedding Breakfast in the Throne Room of the Castle of Ehrenburg, 19 April 1894 by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The War in the Soudan, the Cavalry Charge at the Battle of El Teb, 29 February by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Burmah Expedition by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Battle of Elandslaagte, the Devons, Manchesters, and Gordons Charging the Boer Guns by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Zulu War, Advance of the British Troops on Ulundi, the King")
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.jpg "The Zulu War, the Battle of Ulundi, Inside the Square by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Across Two Oceans, the Panama Ship Canal by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Trouble in the Transvaal, the Battle of Doornkop, near Krugersdorp, Dr Jameson")
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.jpg "At Ladysmith During the Siege by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Visit of the German Emperor to Palestine, the Emperor and Empress Going to the Railway Station at Beirut, En Route for Damascus by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Graeco-Turkish War, Scenes in Crete by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Battle of Ladysmith, Major Wing and his Men saving the Guns of the 69th Battery by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The War in the Soudan, Battle of El Teb, 29 February, the Naval Brigade with Gatling and Gardner Guns hard at it by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The War in the Soudan, Battle of El Teb, 29 February, Storming of the First Fort, Armed with Two Krupp Guns, by 65th and 75th, Gordon Highlanders by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Zulu War, the Field of Isandhlwana revisited by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Royal Progress through the City and South London, 25 October by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The War in the Soudan, the Battle of El Teb, Advance on the Enemy")
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.jpg "The Zulu War by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Sketches in Santiago, the Capital of Chile by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Nile Expedition, the 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment Pushing Forward at the Hannek Cataract by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Transvaal War, Scenes at the Front by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The War in Egypt by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "New Galloping Gun designed by the Earl of Dundonald, advancing to the Front by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Siege of Ladysmith, Battle of Caesar")
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.jpg "Opening of the Restored Church at Shernbourne by HRH the Prince of Wales, 24 December by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Lord Roberts and His Staff Watching the Boers Retreat from Sand River; General French Pursuing the Enemy on the Extreme Left by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Visit of the German Emperor to Palestine, the Emperor and Empress Returning from the Church of St John at Jerusalem by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Royal Colonial Tour, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall at Calgary by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Burmah Expedition, Arrival of King Theebaw at Prome by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Across Two Oceans, Barbadoes by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Royal Visit to Trentham Hall, the Prince and Princess of Wales opening the Victorian Bazaar at Fenton by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Royal Colonial Tour, the Duke of Cornwall on the Pacific Coast by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Decorations of Lombard Street, the Revival of the Ancient Bankers")
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.jpg "The Transvaal War, the Battle of Elandslaagte, Tending the Wounded on the Field by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Walmer Castle, the New Lord Warden by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Sketches in Chile, South America by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Sounding the Retreat, Montevideo, Uruguay by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Sketches at Melbourne, Australia by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Royal Colonial Tour, the Duke of Cornwall on the Canadian Pacific Railway by Melton Prior")
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 13 Marc - (MeisterDrucke-260374).jpg "The War in the Sudan, Battle of Tamasi, 13 March by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Black Watch Charging the Intrenchments at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir, published in")
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.jpg "The Crowning of the Queen of Holland by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Zulu War, View of the Spot where the Prince Imperial was killed, looking West by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Queen")
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.jpg "Boer Ambuscade at Koorn Spruit, the Boers firing on the Hospital Wagons by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The House in the Wood, Garden Front by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Funeral of the Late Czar, Procession Starting from the Railway Station at Moscow by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Indian Frontier Rising by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Royal Colonial Tour by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Royal Visit to Warwickshire, the Prince of Wales reviewing the Warwickshire Yeomanry Corps by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Across Two Oceans, the Atlantic Voyage by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Trouble in the Transvaal, the Preliminary Examination of the Johannesburg Reform Committee by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The War in the Sudan by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Indian Frontier Rising, a Baggage Guard of the Queen")
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.jpg "Opening of the Liverpool Docks Overhead Electric Railway by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Relief of Khartoum, from Korti to Metammeh, on the Road to Khartoum, the Start across the Desert by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Funeral of Mr Gladstone by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Chinese Question, the German Occupation of Kiao-Chau by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Fighting in Rhodesia, Prince Alexander of Teck Bringing Reinforcements to the Imperial Troops at the Siege of Wedza")
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.jpg "The Transvaal War, Scenes at the Front by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Movement towards Peace in South Africa by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Civil War in Chile by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Trouble in South Africa, South African Police, Fighting Boers, and Other Types by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Funeral of Mr. Gladstone by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Manipur Expedition by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Graeco-Turkish War, Scenes in Crete by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Matabili Insurrection, the Crows")
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.jpg "The Court at Cowes, a Charitable Visit by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Boer Ambuscade at Koorn Spruit, the Survivors Who Fought Their Way Out by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Indian Frontier Rising by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Prince and Princess of Wales at Blenheim, Departure of the Royal Party under an Escort of Oxfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry Commanded by the Duke of Marlborough as a Lieutenant of the Regiment by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Funeral of Prince Baldwin of Flanders, at Brussels by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The German Emperor and Empress in London by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The War by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The War in the Soudan, Refugees from Tokar brought into Camp at Trinkitat by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Edinburgh University Union Fancy Fair, in the Waverley Market, Edinburgh by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Transvaal War, the Occupation of Pretoria by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Royal Colonial Tour by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Disaster on Board the Russian Ironclad Sissoi Veliki off Crete by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Chinese Question by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "Autumn Military Manoeuvres by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Transvaal War, the Occupation of Pretoria by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Relief of Khartoum, Concert at Korti, a Sailor at Sea in the Desert of the Soudan by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Denison Gold-Mines, near Algoma, Lake Huron, Upper Canada by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Prince and Princess of Wales at Blenheim, Departure of the Royal Guests from the Palace by Melton Prior")
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.jpg "The Graeco-Turkish War by Melton Prior")
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