Fine Russian original albumen carte-de visite photograph by Sergey Levitsky signed "Alexis" on the mount showing him three quarters length facing the camera wearing a long military coat, 4½" x 2½", no place, no date but circa 1868. Chosen for a naval career, Alexei Alexandrovich started his military training at the age of seven. By the age of 20 he had been appointed lieutenant of the Imperial Russian Navy and had visited all Russia's European military ports. In 1871, he was sent as a goodwill ambassador to the United States and Japan. In 1883 he was appointed general-admiral. He had a significant contribution in the equipment of the Russian navy with new ships and in modernising the naval ports. However, after the Russian defeat in the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, he was viewed as an incompetent and corrupt dilettante, he was relieved of his command. He died in Paris in 1908. Count Sergei Lvovich Levitsky (1819-1898), is considered one of the patriarchs of Russian Empire photography and one of Europe's most important early photographic pioneers, inventors and innovators. He had a studio in Paris which he sold to Augustin Aimé Joseph Le Jeune. He was a French Photographer who was active from 1865-1880. His cards carried both names until at least 1867.