Click image to view full screen
Mother and Child
✓ Authenticity guarantee · ✓ Specialist condition report · ✓ Insured worldwide shipping · ✓ Private-room viewing
Some of the most inventive and technically skilled practitioners in the early history of photography are as yet unidentified. However, with time more of these individuals will probably be recognized by name. Introduced into America soon after its invention in 1839 by the Frenchman Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre, the daguerreotype flourished from 1840 to the mid-1860s. This beautiful daguerreotype in its original case is an outstanding example of a very popular subject: mother and child. The polished silver plate precisely renders in warm tones the likeness of the elaborately dressed sitters. The mother gently steadied the child's head so that it would not move during the long exposure required by the daguerreotype process. Clearly, the maker's knowledge of chemistry and traditional principles of design were necessary for this charming portrait.
| Artist / Maker | America |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1860–65 |
| Culture / Origin | America |
| Medium | daguerreotype, applied color, sixth-plate |
| Dimensions | Image: 8.3 x 7 cm (3 1/4 x 2 3/4 in.); Case: 9.2 x 8.1 x 1.6 cm (3 5/8 x 3 3/16 x 5/8 in.); Matted: 61 x 50.8 cm (24 x 20 in.) |
| Department | Photography |
| Type | Photograph |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
Fine-art shipping with climate control and full insurance to over 120 countries; collection by appointment.
Buying at Matchless Pieces
Register, verify your identity, and bid online or in a private room. Buyer’s premium and taxes are shown before you confirm.
