Elizabeth Bakewell James and her Son, Frank B. James 1845 - 1848

"Elizabeth Bakewell James and her Son, Frank B. James" is a daguerreotype portrait created by John Plumbe Jr. between 1845 and 1848. The intimate portrait depicts Elizabeth and her son, Frank, in a domestic setting, showcasing the rising popularity of portraiture in the mid-19th century. Plumbe, a pioneer in the field of daguerreotype photography, captured the delicate details of their clothing and expressions with a sharpness and clarity characteristic of the medium. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this daguerreotype provides a glimpse into the lives of a middle-class family in pre-Civil War America.