Untitled [portrait of two young women] c. 1844 - 1852

This is an undated ambrotype portrait of two young women by Jeremiah Gurney. Gurney was a prominent New York photographer known for his portraits of notable figures during the mid-19th century. In this intimate portrait, the women are dressed in modest, dark-colored dresses, reflecting the conservative fashion and social norms of the time. The sitters' expressions, while reserved, hint at the complex emotional landscape within the confines of 19th-century womanhood. The act of commissioning such a portrait was often a statement of middle-class aspirations and a desire to solidify familial or social bonds. But what do we make of the relationship between these women? Sisters? Friends? Lovers? The photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the ways in which identity, particularly gender and class, was carefully constructed and presented through the relatively new medium of photography. It invites us to consider the untold stories and the subtle nuances of expression that lie beneath the surface of this seemingly straightforward image.