12 Facts About Antonio Beato

Antonio Beato is noted for his genre works, portraits, views of the architecture and landscapes of Egypt and other locations in the Mediterranean region.

Antonio Beato was the younger brother of photographer Felice Beato, with whom he sometimes worked.

Antonio Beato was probably born in the Austrian Empire territory sometime after 1832, and later became a naturalised British citizen.

Antonio Beato's elder brother Felice Beato, at least, was born in Venice, but the family may have moved to Corfu, which had been a Venetian possession until 1814 when it was acquired by Britain.

In 1983, it was shown that "Felice Antonio Beato" represented two brothers, Felice Beato and Antonio Beato, who regularly worked together, sharing a signature.

Antonio Beato may have become interested in photography through his brother, Felice, who is believed to have met the British photographer James Robertson in Malta in 1850, and purchased photographic equipment in Paris in around 1851, and later that year accompanied Robertson to Constantinople in 1851.

Antonio Beato joined his brother and Robertson in Malta in around 1853.

Antonio Beato photographed in India until December 1859 when he left Calcutta, probably for health reasons, and headed for Malta by way of Suez.

Antonio Beato went to Cairo towards the end 1859 or early 1860 and spent two years there before moving to Luxor where he opened a photographic studio in 1862 and began producing tourist images of the people and architectural sites of the area.

Whereas most photographers focussed on the grandeur of monuments and architecture, Antonio Beato concentrated on scenes of everyday life.

In 1864, at a time when his brother Felice was living and photographing in Japan, Antonio Beato photographed members of Ikeda Nagaoki's Japanese mission who were visiting Egypt on their way to France.

Antonio Beato's widow published a notice of his death while offering a house and equipment for sale.