Untitled (Portrait of Girl)
Medium
Daguerreotype
Dimensions
8.1 × 6.9 cm (3 1/4 × 2 3/4 in.); Open case: 9.5 × 16.6 × 1.4 cm (3 3/4 × 6 9/16 × 9/16 in.); Case: 9.5 × 8.3 × 1.8 cm (3 3/4 × 3 5/16 × 3/4 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
249861
Art Historical Context
This delicate daguerreotype, created in 1860 by the renowned Boston firm Southworth & Hawes, captures a young girl in a moment of quiet poise. Albert Sands Southworth and Josiah Johnson Hawes were among the most celebrated early American photographers, known for elevating the daguerreotype from mere record to expressive portraiture. Their work often emphasized natural lighting and thoughtful composition, bringing a sense of dignity and individuality to their sitters. The daguerreotype process, introduced in 1839, produced a unique, highly detailed image on a silvered copper plate—one of the f...