Alfred Edward Chalon RA (1780 – 1860)

• Was a Swiss-born British portraitist.
• Alfred Chalon was born in Geneva from a father who soon was hired as professor at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in England.
• Alfred entered at the Royal Academy in 1797, he joined the Associated Artists in Water-Colours, a group of aquarellists.

• In the Academy, he was elected an associate (ARA) in 1812, then academician (RA) in 1816. 

• He was chosen by Queen Victoria to paint a gift to her mother: Victoria in her State robes going to the House of Lords for her first official act, the prorogation of the Parliament, on 17 July 1837.

• After this task, Chalon was entitled Portrait Painter in Water Colour to Her Majesty and gained some celebrity.

• His 1837 portrait was engraved by Samuel Cousins and distributed to the public the day of Victoria's coronation, the 28 June 1838.

• Then, starting in 1851, the "Chalon head" appeared on some British colonies' postage stamps. 

• Bachelors, the Chalon brothers lived together.

• In 1860, Alfred died at Campden Hill, in Kensington, London and was buried with his brother in Highgate Cemetery. 

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