Henry Salt

Henry Salt (14 June 1780 – 30 October 1827) was an English artist, traveler, collector of antiquities, diplomat, and Egyptologist. Born in Lichfield, he was the youngest of eight children of Thomas Salt, a physician, and Alice Butt. His early interest in portrait painting led him to study under notable artists such as Joseph Farington and John Hoppner in London. However, Salt eventually shifted away from portraiture after struggling to build a reputation, setting the stage for his career in exploration and diplomacy.

In 1802, Salt was appointed as a secretary and draughtsman for George Annesley, Viscount Valentia, on an eastern expedition. This journey took him to India, the Cape of Good Hope, and Egypt, where he developed diplomatic relationships and created a series of sketches. His first major mission was to Ethiopia in 1805, where he successfully engaged with Ras Wolde Selassie. Salt returned to Ethiopia in 1809 on behalf of the British government to further diplomatic and trade relations. His accounts of these travels were published in A Voyage to Abyssinia in 1814.

Salt’s reputation grew, and in 1815 he was appointed Consul General of Egypt, where he worked on securing artifacts for the British Museum. He developed close ties with Pasha Mehmet Ali and sponsored significant archaeological digs, including those at Thebes and Giza. Despite rivalry from Bernardino Drovetti, Salt amassed an impressive collection of antiquities with the help of agents like Giovanni Belzoni. Salt passed away in 1827 in Egypt, and his artifacts remain in the British Museum.