Snapshots of the Past

[William Alexander Duer, half-length portrait, three-quarters to right] – Vintage Wall Art

[William Alexander Duer, half-length portrait, three-quarters to right], [between 1844 and 1858] — historic photograph
[William Alexander Duer, half-length portrait, three-quarters to right], [between 1844 and 1858]. Historic photograph from the Daguerreotypes & Early Photography collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

This rare historic photograph captures [William Alexander Duer, half-length portrait, three-quarters to right] in remarkable detail. An authentic image from the Library of Congress, it carries the weight of the real historical record.

Framed, it is ready for the wall; unframed, it is ready for the frame you choose. Perfect for a home, office, library or classroom wall, and a gift with a story behind it. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past has been bringing history to the wall since 2001, for tens of thousands of customers worldwide.

[William Alexander Duer, half-length portrait, three-quarters to right]

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A handwritten note scratched on the back of this plate reads "Duer Pres. Colum College," and a reproduction of a painting in a Columbia University history supports the identification of the sitter as William Alexander Duer. Duer led the college in the years before his death in 1858, when American colleges were small and closely tied to their presidents. Mathew Brady's studio made the half-plate daguerreotype, and the gold toning gives the half-length, three-quarter view a warm, silvery finish. The record also lists another possible identification, a college president named Dues, so the sitter's name remains open to question.

Created / published[between 1844 and 1858]
Medium1 photograph : half plate daguerreotype, gold toned.
GenrePortrait photographs 1840-1860.Daguerreotypes 1840-1860.
NotesScratched on back of plate: 21; Duer Pres. Colum College. Identification from reproduction of painting in A History of Columbia University, 1754-1904. Alternative identification: President Dues, Calhoun College (cat. 5). Transfer; U.S. War College; 1920; (DLC/PP-1920:46153). Forms part of: Daguerreotype collection (Library of Congress). Produced by Mathew Brady's studio.
SubjectsDuer, William Alexander,--1780-1858.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan3,280 × 4,096 px · prints to 11 × 14 in at 300 dpi
Reference539_William_Alexander_Duer_1844

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