When in Algiers in late April 1882 Marx decided to have his beard trimmed. He wrote to Engels about the experience on 28th April 1882. The photos mentioned are not extant. The well-known picture of Marx with trimmed facial hair is not genuine, or shall we say, an artist’s impression
Apropos; because of the sun, I have done away with my prophet’s beard and my crowning glory but (in deference to my daughters) had myself photographed before offering up my hair on the altar of an Algerian barber. I shall receive the photographs next Sunday (30 April). Specimina will be sent to you from Marseilles. On inspection you will observe that, CONSIDERING the 8 whole weeks (during which I did not in fact have one day of complete repose) of painting with collodion (after the manner of Ludwig of Bavaria), j’ai fait encore bonne mine à mauvais jeu.
Collodion was an early form of photography, while Ludwig of Bavaria was someone thought to have good looks. Marx is making the point that despite not sleeping well for eight weeks he didn’t look too bad
Marx’s decision to shave his beard was very likely related to wider health issues which had led him to stay in Algiers and then Monte Carlo. By late June 1882 he was in Paris.
On 28th June 1882 Engels wrote to Bebel:
For the past 3 weeks or so Marx has been staying with his daughter at Argenteuil near Paris, is said to be looking very well, brown as a real ‘Moor’ (this being his nickname, as you know)
In short without his beard Marx had got sunburnt
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