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Self-portrait of Horatio Ross
Horatio Ross, born 1801 - died 1886 - Enlarge image
Self-portrait of Horatio Ross
- Object:
Photograph
- Place of origin:
Scotland, Great Britain (made)
- Date:
ca. 1850 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Horatio Ross, born 1801 - died 1886 (maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
Daguerreotype
- Credit Line:
Given by Maj. Ross
- Museum number:
242-1946
- Gallery location:
In Storage
Object Type
Daguerreotypes (an early type of photograph on a silvered copper plate) were usually protected by glass and sometimes kept in leather or thick plastic cases because the highly polished surface is easily scratched. The image is a unique positive made directly onto the plate without a negative, as in other forms of photography. Many daguerreotype photographers replaced miniature painters as makers of portraits as the process was quicker and less expensive.
Ownership & Use
Daguerreotypes were not made primarily for public display in exhibitions. Such small and intimate photographs were generally produced as private keepsakes and often remained within the family.
People
Horatio Ross (1801-1886) took up photography in 1845, although he is also remembered as one of the 19th century's finest sportsmen. He was best known for steeplechasing (a form of horse racing) and as a marksman. Ross and his sons represented Scotland in the National Rifle Association championships in 1863.
