Snapshots of the Past

Portrait of an unidentified older man, half-length daguerreotype – Antique Photo Print

Portrait of an unidentified older man, half-length daguerreotype, 1844 — historic photograph
Portrait of an unidentified older man, half-length daguerreotype, 1844. Historic photograph from the Daguerreotypes & Early Photography collection.

(Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

A window into the past: Portrait of an unidentified older man, half-length daguerreotype, preserved in this historic photograph. It comes from the Snapshots of the Past collection, curated over 25 years for its historical value.

The framed print arrives ready to hang; the unframed option suits custom framing. It makes a striking addition to a living room, study or office, and a thoughtful gift. 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.

Portrait of an unidentified older man, half-length daguerreotype

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Few early portraits of this kind survive with the sitter still unnamed, which makes this half-length daguerreotype from 1844 a quiet puzzle. The man's face and posture are the focus: a mirror-bright silver plate, usually viewed at an angle so the image shifts between positive and negative, was the only way to hold a likeness at the time. By 1844 the daguerreotype had been public for only about five years, and sitters often had to hold still for many seconds in strong light, so the calm composure visible here reflects both the technique and the seriousness people brought to a sitting.

Created / published1844
Original scan3,278 × 4,096 px · prints to 11 × 14 in at 300 dpi
Reference422_Unidentified_man_halfle_1844

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Snapshots of the Past helps heritage brands, museums, historians and storytellers tell stories with history: historic prints, image licensing and historical storytelling drawn from more than 25 years of research and curation.

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