Untitled (Mother and Child in an Informal Pose)

Photography and Media

1839/60

Artist unknown
Probably American, 19th century

Because of its crisp, faithful detail and relatively low price, the daguerreotype—a copper plate coated with silver and burnished to a reflective shine—gained the moniker “mirror with a memory” and allowed millions of Americans in the 19th century to have their likenesses made for the first time. Some of the most notable daguerreotypes were made by commercial photographers whose identities are now unknown. This intimate portrait of a mother and child is lasting evidence of the desire to arrest fleeting moments and commemorate close family ties.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Photography and Media

Artist: Unknown
Title: Untitled (Mother and Child in an Informal Pose)
Place: United States (Artist's nationality)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: Made 1839–1860
Medium: Daguerreotype
Dimensions: Plate: 8.2 × 7 cm (3 1/4 × 2 13/16 in.); Case: 9.2 × 8 × 1.6 cm (3 5/8 × 3 3/16 × 11/16 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of The Estate of Carl A. and Helen Pelon Walvoord
Reference Number: 2011.324
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/207457/manifest.json

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