Snapshots of the Past

The babes of the White House / photographed by Miss Johnston, Washington, D.C. – Historic Photograph Print

The babes of the White House / photographed by Miss Johnston, Washington, D.C., c1889. — historic photograph
The babes of the White House / photographed by Miss Johnston, Washington, D.C., c1889.. Historic photograph from the White House 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

A window into the past: The babes of the White House / photographed by Miss Johnston, Washington, D.C., preserved in this historic photograph. It comes from the collections of the Library of Congress, scanned from the original and carefully restored.

Framed, it is ready for the wall; unframed, it is ready for the frame you choose. A conversation-starting piece for home, office, or as a meaningful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Since 2001, Snapshots of the Past has shipped historic prints to tens of thousands of customers around the world.

The babes of the White House / photographed by Miss Johnston, Washington, D.C.

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The title, "The babes of the White House," points to the youngest members of President Benjamin Harrison's family, who were in residence when he took office in March 1889. Harrison's household included several grandchildren, and the nursery-age children drew frequent newspaper attention in that period. The portrait was taken in Washington by Frances Benjamin Johnston, a photographer who would later become known for her extensive documentation of the White House and its residents. The print carries a copyright notice in the name of W. J. Merrill, so it may have been issued through his studio. Its focus on children gives it a more personal view of the executive mansion than the formal official portraits of the period.

Created / publishedc1889.
Medium1 photographic print : gelatin silver.
GenrePortrait photographs 1880-1890.Group portraits 1880-1890.Gelatin silver prints 1880-1890.
NotesFrances Benjamin Johnston Collection (Library of Congress). Copyrighted by W.J. Merrill.
SubjectsHarrison, Benjamin,--1833-1901--Family. Children & adults--Washington (D.C.)--1880-1890.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan4,096 × 3,271 px · prints to 14 × 11 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-196561

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