Untitled (Portrait of a Girl) 1855

This daguerreotype, a very early photographic process, is an intimate portrait of a young girl, made by Marcus Aurelius Root. Root was working during a time of tremendous social change in the United States, including debates about women's roles and the rise of industrialization. Root, a significant figure in the early history of American photography, captured this girl with great attention to detail, from her elaborate hairstyle to the subtle expression on her face. The portrait invites us to consider the subject’s identity, caught between childhood innocence and the societal expectations of young women in the 19th century. The image, encased in a decorative frame, reflects the sentimentality of the era. The girl's direct gaze and the artist's careful composition create a powerful, emotional connection between the viewer and the subject. What does it mean to be seen, and to be remembered, in this way?