Untitled [portrait of a young girl seated on the arm of the 'Gurney chair'] 1852 - 1858

Jeremiah Gurney made this portrait of a young girl with the daguerreotype process, which was photography's first commercial success. It involved coating a copper plate with silver iodide, exposing it in a camera, and then developing the image with mercury vapor. Look closely, and you can see the unique materiality of this process. The image appears almost ethereal, a shimmering presence on the polished silver surface. Its reflective quality draws you in, creating an intimate viewing experience. Each daguerreotype is unique. There is no negative, so no reproduction is possible. This gives the image a special aura. It is not just a representation, but a direct trace of the sitter’s presence. Think about what this meant in the 19th century. Photography democratized portraiture, bringing it within reach of the middle class. This little girl, dressed in her best, is a testament to that shift. The daguerreotype, once a cutting-edge technology, now invites us to reflect on the passage of time, and the power of images to connect us with the past.