Untitled (bust length portrait of man with beard, in uniform, facing right) 1868 - 1881

Curator: The imposing figure we see here is captured in an "Untitled" photograph, a bust-length portrait by Mathew Brady. Editor: His gaze is intense, almost confrontational. There's a gravity to the sitter, emphasized by the sepia tones. Curator: Brady was renowned for his Civil War photography. This image is a testament to the era’s visual culture, circulating widely as a carte de visite. Editor: The tonal range is subtle. The light softly models his face, drawing attention to the texture of his beard and the ornamentation of his uniform. Curator: Indeed. These portraits created accessible heroes and shaped public memory, bolstering the Union cause through the visual dissemination of authority. Editor: Seeing it through Brady’s lens provides a stark reminder of that era's weight and consequence.