A watercolour depicting the opening ceremony of the Art Treasures exhibition in Manchester, which took place on 5 May 1857. The Prince stands on a dias, with Lord Overstone, President of the General Council, and Mr Thomas Fairbairn, Chairman of the Executive Committee, who wears the uniform of a Deputy-Lt and hands the Prince his Address. Signed at bottom left: Louis Haghe. Squared, preasumably for transfer.

Prince Albert was a strong supporter of the Manchester Art Treasures exhibition. He and Queen Victoria leant the greatest number of objects, contributing to all the classes of the exhibition, and their generosity was held up as an example to other private lenders. Albert travelled to Manchester alone to open the exhibition; Queen Victoria had given birth to their ninth and youngest child Princess Beatrice only three weeks before the opening ceremony. Victoria and Albert later visited the exhibition together over two days in July.

A more finished version of this watercolour is in Manchester Art Gallery (inv.no. 1963.11).