I think daguerreotypes of paintings are such special things, documents of a very particular moment in time, when silhouettes and painted portraits were just giving way to photographic ones; as such, to me, they represent a wonderful convergence of both technologies and sensibilities, and feel supremely tender and very very human. This one, a ninth plate, c. 1840s-50s I would think, captures a folk art painting of on older man in profile seated in a caned chair; I am not an expert, but am including an image of what I think the chair likely is, which is a Regency Can Campeche Chair, made in Jamaica during the early-19th century. For me, the detail on the chair and of the caning pattern especially brings a lot of extra life and specificity to the portrait, while also amplifying its strong graphicness.
In its original case, which is split into two parts, but with hook still in place to join them on one side. Clouding and deterioration as documented; photos give an accurate sense. Half case measures 2 15/16" x 2 1/2".
You might also like
