Untitled [three-quarter length portrait of a young girl] c. 1844 - 1852

This is a daguerreotype portrait of a young girl, made by Jeremiah Gurney, likely in the mid-19th century. This photographic process, one of the earliest, involved coating a silvered copper plate with light-sensitive chemicals. The plate was then exposed in a camera, capturing a direct positive image. Notice the meticulous detail, achieved through careful preparation and long exposure times. Daguerreotypes were luxury objects: the materials expensive, the process laborious, and the result often a unique, treasured possession for the sitter and their family. The girl’s formal attire and the upholstered chair suggest a middle-class or upper-class background. The daguerreotype itself acted as a social marker, evidence of a family's status and their participation in modern technology and consumer culture. Considering the historical context of labor and class, this portrait encapsulates the aspirations and values of a rapidly changing society. It invites us to reflect on the relationship between photographic technology, social identity, and the democratization of portraiture.