Portrait of a Young Woman with a Daguerreotype, Mathew Benjamin Brady (attributed to), 1840 - 1860

copper (metal), h 66mm × w 53mm More details

A picture within a picture – one that tells the whole story. The daguerreotype is not like the fleeting snapshot of nowadays. It is a rare likeness of a loved one, to be kept close and cherished, as is done by this woman holding a daguerreotype portrait of her husband. A daguerreotype was unique and fragile. That is why they were kept in pretty frames or decorated cases.