[1] His parents were Edward Octavius Caesar Wall duVal and Sarah Eskildson[2] After some time at sea he started his artistic career in Liverpool.

His eldest son, Charles became a photographer and partner in his father's business, Messrs. C. A. Duval & Co., Exchange Street, Manchester.

[4] Duval's second daughter, Florence, married Dr Charles Thurstan Holland, who would become famous for his research on Radiology.

In Manchester he founded the Art Academy, a society for holding annual exhibitions with the idea of establishing a permanent public gallery, and was its president for many years.

[9] The Dictionary of National Biography states "His portraits are good likenesses, and have considerable artistic merit particularly his chalk studies of children... All his work was marked by great taste and beauty."

It became so popular that a cartoon in Punch caricaturing Sir Robert Peel was drawn from it, and an etching from the picture and accompanying verses both by the artist appeared in the North of England Magazine, June 1842.

Some of his inventions can also be seen at the Museum: For a comprehensive list of Duval's works see: the 'Arnold Hyde Dictionary' of local artists compiled in the 1930 at Manchester Art Gallery.

Numerous members of the landed gentry commissioned Duval, for example: Rowland Eyles Egerton-Warburton who built the present Arley Hall in Cheshire.

The author's husband, William Gaskell was a Unitarian Minister in the city and first chairman of the Portico Library and would have been personally acquainted with Duval.

He executed a series of water colour vignette portraits of the leading members of the Anti-Corn Law League, which were engraved and published, and reproduced on pocket handkerchiefs.

A three-quarter length oil portrait of Thomas Michaelson, in the dress uniform of a cavalry officer, can be seen on the website of the Dock Museum Collection.

[15] In the 1860s Duval opened his own photography and portrait gallery at the premises of Messrs. Thomas Agnew & Sons, 14 Exchange Street, Manchester.

He then produced a list of all his techniques: He ended his advertisement by stating: "Messrs C A Duval & Co will not exhibit a portrait without special permission.