Woman alive
Daguerreotype
ca. 1845-1855 (photographed)
ca. 1845-1855 (photographed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The daguerreotype was the first form of photography to be announced to the world in Paris in January 1839. They are unique, direct positive images formed on a sheet of highly polished and silvered copper. The process flourished primarily for commercial portraiture and rapidly replaced portrait miniature painting as a record of a loved one and an intimate keepsake. Mememto mori or post mortem daguerreotypes are an important genre within early photography. The unusual example of the 'double portrait', housed in one case of the elderly woman alive and deceased makes a powerful comparative pairing. The subject's resting pose of her crossed hands in the life portrait is intentionally and aptly echoed in the post mortem image.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Woman alive (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Sixth plate dagerreotype mounted in hinged wood embossed leather case |
| Brief description | Daguerreotype of an elderly woman, alive, unknown photographer, ca. 1845-1855 |
| Physical description | One of two mounted daquerreotypes in hinged wood case covered with embossed leather. This image, on the right when case is opened, is of a woman with eyes open wearing a fabric bonnet fastened at the chin. Her arms are crossed. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Purchase funded by the Photographs Acquisition Group |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The daguerreotype was the first form of photography to be announced to the world in Paris in January 1839. They are unique, direct positive images formed on a sheet of highly polished and silvered copper. The process flourished primarily for commercial portraiture and rapidly replaced portrait miniature painting as a record of a loved one and an intimate keepsake. Mememto mori or post mortem daguerreotypes are an important genre within early photography. The unusual example of the 'double portrait', housed in one case of the elderly woman alive and deceased makes a powerful comparative pairing. The subject's resting pose of her crossed hands in the life portrait is intentionally and aptly echoed in the post mortem image. |
| Associated object | E.642:1-2014 (Pair) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.642:2-2014 |
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| Record created | September 24, 2014 |
| Record URL |
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