Untitled (Portrait of a Man)
1845
Medium
Daguerreotype
Dimensions
8.1 × 7 cm (3 1/4 × 2 13/16 in.); Open case: 16 × 9.3 × 1.1 cm (6 5/16 × 3 11/16 × 7/16 in.); Case: 8 × 9.3 × 1.7 cm (3 3/16 × 3 11/16 × 11/16 in.); Plate: 8.3 × 7 cm (3 1/4 × 2 3/4 in.)
Classification
portrait
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
249913
Art Historical Context
Step into the dawn of photography with *Untitled (Portrait of a)*, a captivating daguerreotype from 5 created by an unknown maker. This intimate portrait captures a solemn gentleman gazing directly at the viewer, housed in a protective case typical of the era. Measuring just 8.1 × 7 cm, the tiny plate—smaller than a modern smartphone screen—reveals the medium's delicate scale, often treasured like fine jewelry. Daguerre, introduced in 1839, marked a revolutionary leap from painted portraits, making lifelike images accessible to the middle class for the first time. Produced on silvered copper ...