Portrait of a Woman
Medium
daguerreotype with applied color
Dimensions
image (visible): 7 × 5.6 cm (2 3/4 × 2 3/16 in.) mat: 8.3 × 7 cm (3 1/4 × 2 3/4 in.) case (closed): 9.3 × 8.2 × 1.5 cm (3 11/16 × 3 1/4 × 9/16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Purchased as the Gift of the Richard King Mellon Foundation
Accession Number
2018.7.45
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Portrait of a Woman*, created by an anonymous American photographer in the 1850s, captures the era's fascination with early photography through a daguerreotype—a one-of-a-kind image on a silvered copper plate. Measuring just 7 × 5.6 cm, it fits snugly in its protective case, much like a treasured locket, reflecting how these portraits were cherished personal keepsakes during the mid-19th century. medium's innovation shines here: invented in 1839, daguerreotypy produced strikingly detailed, mirror-like positives that required no negative, making each print unique and labor-inte...
About the Artist
American 19th Century
The artist cataloged as "American, 19th Century" represents a collective of unidentified painters active in the United States during the nineteenth century, with 380 known artworks preserved in this virtual museum's collection. These works span a diverse array of genres typical of the era, including portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and genre scenes, reflecting the burgeoning artistic output of ...