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Untitled (Portrait of a Girl)

Artist William Abbott Pratt (American, born 1818)

CultureAmerican

Dateca. 1852

MediumDaguerreotype

Dimensions4 3/4 × 3 3/4 in. (12.1 × 9.5 cm)

InscribedEmbossed on velvet cushion-- "W. A. PRATT / 139 MAIN St. / RICHMOND."

Credit LineGift of Christina and George Kemp

Object number2016.45.18

Not on view

DescriptionThree-quarter length portrait of a young girl, she rests her arm on a table. There appears to be slight movement of the subject. The leather case has double hook-and-eye closures and the design features a quiver with arrows. The spine of the case is separated-- poor tape repair.
Label TextWilliam A. Pratt American, b. England 1818, active 1844–1856 top Untitled (Portrait of a Girl and Boy), ca. mid-1840s Daguerreotype bottom Untitled (Portrait of a Girl), ca. 1852 Daguerreotype Early photography required long exposure times, which made capturing fidgety children especially challenging. Photographers often used props like tables and chairs to keep sitters still during an exposure, which could last 30 seconds or more depending on the lens, chemistry, and size of the photographic plate. Notice the bar that extends from the floor to the waist of the boy in the image of two children. Such devices were used to anchor sitters while photographers did their work. Even with the assist, the boy’s hand moves, leaving a subtle blur. Gift of Christina and George Kemp 2016.45.24, 2016.45.18 ProvenanceGeorge Kemp; gift to Chrysler Museum of Art, December 2016.