[Unknown Subject] 1860s

This 1860s carte de visite photograph, created by John & Charles Watkins, depicts an unidentified man seated in a chair, holding a cane. The brothers, who worked together as photographers between 1840 and 1875, specialized in portraiture, often capturing individuals in formal settings. The image's small size (4 x 2 1/2 in.) and its inscription indicating a copyright suggest its intended purpose as a personal memento or a promotional tool for the Watkins brothers. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City houses this intimate and slightly austere portrait, a testament to the enduring legacy of early photography and its role in documenting individuals and their time.