Portrait of a Man
Photography
Inventory number
2022.6.3.4.PH.VI.C1850.USDescription
Daguerreotype photograph portrait of a young man wearing a three-piece suit with a dark-colored bowtie, and a damask waistcoat covering most of his light-hued dress shirt. Attached to the top button of his waistcoat and tucked behind the wide lapels of his dark jacket is a watch fob. The photograph is manually retouched with gold pigment overtop the watch fob. The gentleman's hair is parted above his right eye, smoothed out overtop, and curled out by his ears. His right arm is resting on the table beside him with a floral tablecloth and two books. His left hand is in his lap.Made to resemble a book, the daguerreotype is mounted in a box made in Papier-mâché and wood painted black with gold stamped detailing and a copper clasp, The cover has a mother of pearl inlay floral arrangement. Inside of a case lined with red velvet with a damask motif etching, the portrait is behind a sheet of glass and brass frame.
Materials
DaguerreotypePapier-mâché
Wood frame
Glass
Brass
Mother-of-pearl
Velvet
Origin
circa 1850 United StatesDimensions
Width : 2 cmLength : 9.2 cm
Height : 9.7 cm