[Plasterers and Painters]
1870s–80s
![[Plasterers and Painters] by Unknown](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/met/ph/thumb/plasterers-and-painters-291906.webp)
Medium
Tintype
Dimensions
Image: 6.9 x 5.6 cm (2 11/16 x 2 3/16 in.) Mat: 8.2 x 7 cm (3 1/4 x 2 3/4 in.) Case: 0.8 x 9.3 x 8 cm (5/16 x 3 11/16 x 3 1/8 in.)
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Herbert Mitchell, 2008
Accession Number
2015.400.172
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the working world of 19th-century America withPlasterers and Pain]*, a charming tintype portrait from the 0s–80s. This intimate photograph a group of men—likely tradesmen, as suggested by the titleposed confidently for the camera. Measuring 6.9 x 56 cm, it's a pocket-sized gem housed in a protective case, perfect for personalakes. Tintypes, invented in the 1850s, revolutionized photography by making it and portable. Unlike fragile glass plates, this direct-positive process used thin iron sheet coated in collod, producing a unique,-of-a-kind image without negatives. Popular at fairs,...
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...