Daguerreotype of Seated Woman with glasses and shawl

Photograph

Daguerreotype of Seated Woman with glasses and shawl

ca. 1845 - 1860

The photo seen here, called a daguerreotype, features an elderly woman sitting in a chair. Daguerreotype portraits, popular from the 1840s-1860s were made using a sheet of silver-plated copper that had been treated with light sensitive chemicals. Once the photograph was taken and transferred onto the sheet of silver plated copper, it was usually built into a small box to protect it. This form of photograph is very delicate, and can only be produced once without having to retake the picture. Note the book on the table: the title is backwards, another indicationt that this is a daguerreotype. When flipped, it reads "The Works of ??? Illustrated."

The case imitates a book cover, with a binding title that reads "Memory's Leaflet." The cover has an embossed gold floral pattern on the front. The inside cover is a padded velvet with the same floral pattern embossed on it. When the case is closed, the velvet keeps the glass from touching the hard cover of the case. A metal clasp on the side keeps the case shut when necessary. The photograph itself is in a gold frame with ornate floral detailing along the edges.

The woman in the photograph wears glasses and sits in a chair with a shawl around her shoulders. The day cap that she is wearing, with frills at each side, is a focal point and draws attention to her face. Day caps of the 1840s were typically made from white cotton, and towards the latter part of the decade were primarily worn by older women. The woman is wearing a white collar and white cuffs as well. White collars and cuffs were popular for women to wear during the day, and in this particular photo, they create a very nice contrast to the dark color of her dress.

It’s hard to determine the type of material this dress is made from, but the highlights around the draped parts of the dress suggest a silk fabric was used. The bodice has been gathered into the center front to create the V-shaped line popular in the 1840s. The shawl that falls from her shoulders appears to be a dark-colored damask weave silk.

The sitter wears two rings on her left hand. A brooch holds the ribbon at her throat closed. The metal frame glasses with the slight octagonal shape are appropriate for the 1840s.

References

Jackson, Tracy.  “Photographs: Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes”, (2014). Blog and Digital Exhibitions site of the Archives & Special Collections Center and the Walsh Gallery at Seton Hall University. http://blogs.shu.edu/archives/2014/10/photographs-daguerreotypes-and-ambrotypes/

Severa, Joan. Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans & Fashion, 1840-1900. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press, 1995.

Donor: In Collection

URI 2022.98.03

Jade Totten
Susan J. Jerome, MS '06