Untitled (Portrait of a Man with Top Hat and Cane)
Artist
Edwin M. Powers
(American, active 1855-1860)
CultureAmerican
Datecirca mid-1850s
MediumQuarter plate Daguerreotype
Dimensions4 3/4 × 3 3/4 in. (12.1 × 9.5 cm)
Signed"POWERS" stamped in brass mat at bottom center
Credit LineGift of Christina and George Kemp
Object number2016.45.11
On View
Not on viewLabel Texttop right Edwin M. Powers American, active 1855–1860 Untitled (Portrait of a Man with Top Hat and Cane), 1850s Daguerreotype When daguerreotypes became popular in the 1840s and ’50s, many were struck by their clarity. Yet the demands required to produce a clear image were often difficult on makers and sitters alike. In this portrait, the sitter’s face is sharp, but his hands show a subtle blur. Although the length of exposure had been shortened from more than sixty to only a few seconds by the time this image was made, even slight movements could muddle an image. Despite the difficulty of holding his hat and cane still, the sitter wanted to highlight them, even having the studio add silver accents to the cane’s head. Gift of Christina and George Kemp 2016.45.11Exhibition History"5 Years of Photography: Building the Chrysler Collection," Photography & Focus Galleries, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, June 26 - November 10, 2019.
