Untitled (Portrait of a Reclined Woman) 1855

John Adams Whipple's 1855 daguerreotype, "Untitled (Portrait of a Reclined Woman)," captures a young woman posed on a chaise lounge. The intimate scale of the image, characteristic of the daguerreotype format, and the woman's relaxed pose create a sense of intimacy and immediacy. Whipple was a pioneer in the field of portraiture, and his work exemplifies the technical mastery and artistic sensibility of early photography. This daguerreotype, now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago, provides a fascinating glimpse into 19th-century photographic practice and the evolving art of portraiture.