Untitled [portrait of an unidentified woman] 1858 - 1869

This small photograph shows an unidentified woman, and was produced by Jeremiah Gurney, a prominent New York photographer, using the fashionable carte-de-visite format. Photography democratized portraiture. By the mid-19th century, advancements allowed for mass production of affordable images. Studios like Gurney’s became institutions, shaping visual culture. The carte-de-visite, popular for its size and affordability, fueled a booming market. People from various social strata could now participate in image-making, previously reserved for the elite. This particular portrait, with its simple composition and subject's modest attire, reflects a growing middle-class clientele. But it also prompts us to consider the power dynamics inherent in image-making. Who was this woman? What was her relationship to the photographer and the camera? To understand this image fully, we need to research the history of photography, the development of photographic studios, and the social lives of ordinary Americans during this period. The meaning of this work resides in the network of these institutional and social contexts.