Portrait of a Man
c. 1910
Medium
gelatin silver print (cabinet card)
Dimensions
image/sheet: 14.1 × 10 cm (5 9/16 × 3 15/16 in.) mount: 16.6 × 11 cm (6 9/16 × 4 5/16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, Purchased with support from the Ford Foundation
Accession Number
2023.39.91
Art Historical Context
This intimate *Portrait of a Man*, by an anonymous American photographer around 1910, exemplifies the artistry of early 20th-century vernacular photography. Produced as a gelatin silver print in the compact cabinet card format—measuring just 14.1 × 10 cm on its sheet—this medium was a staple of the era. Gelatin silver prints, introduced in the 1880s, offered superior detail, rich tonal gradations, and permanence compared to earlier processes, making them ideal for personal portraits shared among family and friends. Cabinet cards like this one evolved from the smaller cartes de visite of the 1...
About the Artist
American 20th Century
"American 20th Century" is the designation used by major institutions such as the National Gallery of Art (NGA) for anonymous and unidentified artists active in the United States during the twentieth century. The artist's personal identity, early life, and training remain undocumented, reflecting the challenges of attribution for unattributed works from this era. No specific teachers, art schools,...