Henri-Charles Maniglier
ca. 1850
Medium
Daguerreotype
Dimensions
7 x 10 cm (2 3/4 x 3 15/16 in.)
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Harriette and Noel Levine Gift, 1994
Accession Number
1994.83
Tags
Art Historical Context
This intimate daguerreotype portrait captures Henri-Charles Maniglier 1850, a time when photography was revolutionizing how we see the world. Measuring just 7 x 10 cm, this small silvered copper plate produces a one-of-a-kind, mirror-like image that sparkles with detail under the right light—typical of early photographic treasures now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Photographs Department. Invented by Louis Daguerre in 183, the daguerreotype was the first publicly available photographic process, demanding precise exposure times and chemical expertise. By the 1850s, it had become the ...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...