Cecil Rhodes Collection

The Rhodes Colossus, 1892 Artist: Edward Linley Sambourne
The Rhodes Colossus, 1892. Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902), English-born South African businessman and statesman, shown striding across Africa from Cape Town to Cairo with a telegraph wire

Cecil Rhodes in South Africa, 1900
Cecil John Rhodes, British colonial administrator, on his verandah near Cape Town, South Africa, c. 1900. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a photograph

Rhodes House, Oxford (b / w photo)
3094735 Rhodes House, Oxford (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Rhodes House, Oxford. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

The workings at the De Beers diamond mines
5307682 The workings at the De Beers diamond mines.; (add.info.: Photograph of the workings at the De Beers diamond mines founded by Cecil Rhodes)

The workings at the De Beers diamond mines
5307684 The workings at the De Beers diamond mines.; (add.info.: Photograph of the workings at the De Beers diamond mines founded by Cecil Rhodes)

Mr. Rhodes Before the South Africa Committee, c1897, (c1900). Creator: Unknown
Mr. Rhodes Before the South Africa Committee, c1897, (c1900). British imperialist, businessman and politician who played a dominant role in southern Africa

'Mr Cecil Rhodes, Premier of Cape Colony, 1890. Creator: Unknown
'Mr Cecil Rhodes, Premier of Cape Colony, 1890. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 42. July to December, 1890

Cape to Cairo, 1899. Artist: John Tenniel
Cape to Cairo, 1899. Cecil Rhodes asking the German Emperor Wilhelm II for permission for the Cape to Cairo telegraph line to be laid across German territories in Africa

Cecil Rhodes, with the Matabeles (colour litho)
2791947 Cecil Rhodes, with the Matabeles (colour litho) by Davie, Howard (fl.1914-44); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cecil Rhodes, with the Matabeles)

Mr Cecil Rhodess New House, Grootschur, Cape Town (b / w photo)
3642059 Mr Cecil Rhodess New House, Grootschur, Cape Town (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mr Cecil Rhodess New House, Grootschur, Cape Town)

How the workers go down to the open diamond mines at Kimberley (b / w photo)
3642055 How the workers go down to the open diamond mines at Kimberley (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Cecil Rhodes in council with the Matabele chiefs (colour litho)
5229959 Cecil Rhodes in council with the Matabele chiefs (colour litho) by Rainey, William (1852-1936) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cecil Rhodes in council with the Matabele chiefs)

"The chiefs came forward with a white flag of truce in front of them"(litho)
5988746 " The chiefs came forward with a white flag of truce in front of them" (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Burial of Mr Rhodes, the Memorial Service in St Pauls (litho)
1043695 The Burial of Mr Rhodes, the Memorial Service in St Pauls (litho) by Haenen, Frederic de (1853-1928); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Burial of Mr Rhodes)

Mr. Rhodes before the South Africa Committee (engraving)
663502 Mr. Rhodes before the South Africa Committee (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mr. Rhodes before the South Africa Committee)

The Jameson Raid. Leander Starr Jameson taken by the Boers to Pretoria after his capture, 1896 (engraving)
6000486 The Jameson Raid. Leander Starr Jameson taken by the Boers to Pretoria after his capture, 1896 (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Jameson Raid)

Empire Makers and Breakers (colour litho)
613742 Empire Makers and Breakers (colour litho) by Wright, Henry Charles Seppings (1850-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: Empire Makers and Breakers: Richard Webster, Henry Labouchere)

When Kimberley was relieved by French. General French and Cecil Rhodes
3037696 When Kimberley was relieved by French. General French and Cecil Rhodes, illustration from Cassells Romance of Famous Lives, c.1940 (litho) by Begg, S

The late Cecil Rhodes, Scenes and Incidents of his Career (b / w photo)
1629525 The late Cecil Rhodes, Scenes and Incidents of his Career (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The late Cecil Rhodes)

Checkmate (colour litho)
964661 Checkmate (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Checkmate. From Truth, 25 December 1896.); © Look and Learn

Cecil Rhodes, Illustration for Le Rire (colour litho)
2805039 Cecil Rhodes, Illustration for Le Rire (colour litho) by Caran d Ache (Emmanuel Poire) (1858-1909) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cecil Rhodes)

Some pioneers in making South Central Africa British, Kimberley, Cape of Good Hope, May 1890 (b / w photo)
3626753 Some pioneers in making South Central Africa British, Kimberley, Cape of Good Hope, May 1890 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Londons Tribute to the Memory of Cecil Rhodes (engraving)
1629594 Londons Tribute to the Memory of Cecil Rhodes (engraving) by Amato, G.S. (fl.1897-1914) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Londons Tribute to the Memory of Cecil Rhodes)

The Jameson Raid (colour litho)
2818710 The Jameson Raid (colour litho) by Meyer, Henri (1841-99) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Jameson Raid. Leander Starr Jameson captured by the Boers in the Transvaal)

Rhodes statue, Botanic Gardens, Cape Town (photo)
6025368 Rhodes statue, Botanic Gardens, Cape Town (photo) by European Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Rhodes statue, Botanic Gardens, Cape Town)

Our Special Artist in the Transvaal (litho)
1605091 Our Special Artist in the Transvaal (litho) by Prior, Melton (1845-1910) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Our Special Artist in the Transvaal)

The meeting of Major Forbess Column with Mr Selous and the party sent out to their relief from Buluwayo (engraving)
1064276 The meeting of Major Forbess Column with Mr Selous and the party sent out to their relief from Buluwayo (engraving) by English School

Cecil Rhodes and Mr A Beit (b / w photo)
3642057 Cecil Rhodes and Mr A Beit (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cecil Rhodes and Mr A Beit)

The Right Hon. Cecil Rhodes (engraving)
663513 The Right Hon. Cecil Rhodes (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Right Hon. Cecil Rhodes)

Mr Rhodes Home near Cape Town, Groote Schuur (b / w photo)
1629511 Mr Rhodes Home near Cape Town, Groote Schuur (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mr Rhodes Home near Cape Town, Groote Schuur)

A Good Joke (colour litho)
964634 A Good Joke (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Good Joke (from Mr Cecil Rhodes point of view)

The Late Right Honourable Cecil Rhodes (engraving)
1043658 The Late Right Honourable Cecil Rhodes (engraving) by Wirgman, Theodore Blake (1848-1925) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Late Right Honourable Cecil Rhodes)

Cecil Rhodes, Prime Minister of the Cape (b / w photo)
3099674 Cecil Rhodes, Prime Minister of the Cape (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cecil Rhodes, Prime Minister of the Cape)

The house where Cecil Rhodes died, Muizenberg, Cape Colony (colour photo)
3093764 The house where Cecil Rhodes died, Muizenberg, Cape Colony (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The house where Cecil Rhodes died)

Cecil J. Rhodes at Groote Schuur. A Memory. 1902. Creator: Unknown
Cecil J. Rhodes at Groote Schuur. A Memory. 1902. Cecil John Rhodes (1853 -1902) British businessman, mining magnate and politician in south Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony

Rt. Hon. Cecil John Rhodes, P. C. 1900. Creator: Elliot & Fry
Rt. Hon. Cecil John Rhodes, P.C. 1900. From " South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. I", by Louis Creswicke. [T. C. & E. C. Jack, Edinburgh, 1900]

Placard Erected by Mr. Rhodes, 1900. Creator: Hancox
Placard Erected by Mr. Rhodes, 1900. Cecil John Rhodes was a British businessman, mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896

Cecil Rhodes, (1853-1902), English-born South African entrepreneur and statesman, 1894-1907. Artist: Alexander Bassano
Cecil Rhodes, (1853-1902), English-born South African entrepreneur and statesman, 1894-1907. Rhodes made his fortune in the Kimberley diamond mines, and formed De Beers Consolidated Mines in 1888

Portrait of Mr. Cecil Rhodes, c1901. Artist: Mortimer Luddington Menpes
Portrait of Mr. Cecil Rhodes, c1901. Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902) made his fortune in the Kimberley diamond mines, and formed De Beers Consolidated Mines in 1888

Kimbereley Diamond Mine: apparatus for raising the diamantiferous earth, 1896
Kimbereley Diamond Mine: apparatus for raising the diamantiferous earth. In 1887 and 1888 Cecil Rhodes amalgamated the diamond mines around Kimberley, which included De Beers

Kimberley: appearance of the diamond mine in 1880, 1896
Kimberley: appearance of the diamond mine in 1880. In 1887 and 1888 Cecil Rhodes amalgamated the diamond mines around Kimberley, which included De Beers, into Consolidated Mines

Grave of Cecil Rhodes, British businessman and politician in Africa, Southern Rhodesia, 1924 (1927). A print from Cape to Cairo, by Stella Court Treatt, George G Harrap & Company Ltd, 1927

Rhodes Memorial, Devils Peak, Cape Town, c1920s. Artist: Cavenders Ltd
Rhodes Memorial, Devils Peak, Cape Town, c1920s. Rhodes Memorial is a memorial to the English-born South African politician Cecil John Rhodes (1853-1902)

Groote Schuur House, Cape Town, South Africa, c1920s. Artist: Cavenders Ltd
Groote Schuur House, Cape Town, South Africa, c1920s. From the Colonial Series set of hand-coloured cigarette cards issued with Army Club Cigarettes, Cavanders Ltd, c1920s

Cecil John Rhodes, British-born South African businessman, mining magnate, politician, 1902. Artist: Cecil Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes, British-born South African businessman, mining magnate, politician, 1902. A print from the Illustrated London News, 5th April 1902

Cecil Rhodes, 19th century English-born South African statesman, c1905. Rhodes (1853-1902) made his fortune in the Kimberley diamond mines, and formed De Beers Consolidated Mines in 1888

Cecil Rhodes, British-born South African, financier, statesman and empire builder, 1891. Artist: Spy
Cecil Rhodes, British-born South African, financier, statesman and empire builder, 1891. Rhodes (1853-1902) made his fortune in the Kimberley diamond mines

Cecil Rhodes, English-born South African entrepreneur and statesman, c1900. Portrayed in this painting riding on his estate, Groote Schuur

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Cecil Rhodes: A Visionary and Controversial Figure in South African History Step into the world of Cecil Rhodes, a man whose name is synonymous with ambition, power, and controversy. Born in 1853 in Hertfordshire, England, Rhodes would go on to leave an indelible mark on South Africa and beyond. In 1870, at the age of 17, Rhodes ventured to Kimberley during the diamond rush. Little did he know that this pivotal moment would shape his destiny. With unwavering determination and business acumen, he amassed great wealth from the diamond mines. Rhodes' influence extended far beyond his financial success. He played a significant role in politics as well as colonization efforts throughout southern Africa. His grand vision was encapsulated by the famous phrase "from Cape to Cairo, " symbolizing his dream of British domination across the continent. The iconic image seated atop a horse in South Africa captures him at the height of his power in 1900. This photograph serves as a testament to his commanding presence and unyielding spirit. Rhodes House stands proudly at Oxford University—a lasting tribute to this enigmatic figure's legacy. It serves as a center for academic research and fosters international understanding among scholars from around the globe. However, it is impossible to discuss Cecil Rhodes without acknowledging the controversies surrounding him. The infamous Jameson Raid led by Leander Starr Jameson resulted in capture by Boer forces—an event forever etched into history books. Rhodes' interactions with indigenous communities were also marred by conflict. Color lithographs depict tense council meetings between him and Matabele chiefs while another portrays them offering peace under a white flag—highlighting both diplomacy and discord within colonial relationships. Yet even after death, Cecil Rhodes continued to captivate attention through elaborate memorial services held at St Paul's Cathedral—a testament to his enduring impact on society despite divided opinions.