Cornelius N. Bliss (U.S. delegate) 1889 - 1890

Editor: This is a portrait of Cornelius N. Bliss, a U.S. delegate, taken by Mathew Brady. The sepia tones give it a distinguished feel. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Brady's portraits, while seemingly straightforward, actively participated in constructing and reinforcing notions of power and authority during a period of immense social upheaval. Consider the context: Who had access to portraiture? What messages were these images meant to convey about class, status, and national identity in a rapidly changing America? Editor: So, it's less about simply capturing a likeness, and more about solidifying a certain narrative? Curator: Precisely. Brady's work becomes a visual archive of a specific power structure, worthy of critical examination. It reveals as much as it conceals about the complex realities of the time. Editor: That’s a really important way to consider historical portraiture.