LACMA

ShopMembershipMyLACMATickets
LACMA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@lacma.org
(323) 857-6000
Sign up to receive emails
Subscribe
© Museum Associates 2025

Museum Hours

Monday

11 am–6 pm

Tuesday

11 am–6 pm

Wednesday

Closed

Thursday

11 am–6 pm

Friday

11 am–8 pm

Saturday

10 am–7 pm

Sunday

10 am–7 pm

 

  • About LACMA
  • Jobs
  • Building LACMA
  • Host An Event
  • Unframed
  • Press
  • FAQs
  • Log in to MyLACMA
  • Privacy Policy
© Museum Associates 2025
Collections

Menzies Dickson
Queen Kalama1864-1870

Not on view
Sepia-toned carte-de-visite portrait photograph, woman from the waist up, wearing a dark off-shoulder dress, diagonal sash, star-shaped medal, and floral hair decoration
Verso of a carte-de-visite with pencil inscription at top and printed studio imprint 'M. Dickson, Honolulu' in decorative blackletter type on cream card stock.
Artist or Maker
Menzies Dickson
American, 1840 - 1891
Title
Queen Kalama
Culture
Hawaiian
Place Made
Kingdom of Hawai'i,O'ahu, Honolulu
Date Made
1864-1870
Medium
Albumen silver print
Dimensions
Secondary support: 4 × 2 1/2 in. (10.16 × 6.35 cm)
Credit Line
Partial gift of Mark and Carolyn Blackburn and purchased with funds from LACMA's 50th Anniversary Gala and FIJI Water
Accession Number
M.2015.33.1357
Classification
Photographs
Collecting Area
Art of the Pacific
Curatorial Notes

Similar photo found on State Library of New South Wales online collection, photographer: Henry L. Chase and dated circa 1865-1870.


Kalama Hakaleleponi Kapakuhaili (about 1817 – September 20, 1870), whose first name translates to “Light or Torch,” became the queen consort of the Kingdom of Hawai’i when she married King Kamehameha III (1814-1854) on February 14, 1837. Their love marriage upset many, as Kalama was not considered an appropriate match for the monarch. After losing two children in infancy, the royal couple adopted their nephew Alexander Liholiho (1834-1863), who would inherit the throne in 1854. They also adopted a daughter, Ka’imina’auao (1845-1848), and another son, Albert Kuka’ilmoko Kuniakea (1851-1903). Queen Kalama outlived both her husband, Kamehameha III, and her son, Kamehameha IV. She became an adept business woman, eventually owning 22,000 acres on the windward side of Oahu, where she established a sugar plantation. A beach there in Kailua now bears her name.

On January 16, 1893 the Hawaiian Kingdom was invaded by United States marines which led to the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian government the following day.