Untitled [portrait of an unidentified man] by Jeremiah Gurney

Untitled [portrait of an unidentified man] 1858 - 1869

photo restoration

film poster

historical photography

unrealistic statue

framed image

photo layout

19th century

united-states

neutral brown palette

columned text

statue

This tintype portrait of an unidentified man was created between 1858 and 1869 by Jeremiah Gurney, a noted American photographer. Gurney's work often captured the details of his subjects' lives, showcasing their attire, expressions, and social standing. The man in the image is dressed in formal attire, suggesting he belonged to the upper class. This small yet intimate portrait, currently housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, exemplifies Gurney's mastery of capturing the essence of his subjects.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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An important part of New York City-based photographer Jeremiah Gurney’s business was making small-size portrait photographs. Beginning in the 1850s, cartes de visite (calling cards, or visiting cards) photographs were popular. They were often made with a four-lensed camera, capturing four of the same image at once. They were printed eight on a sheet and each photograph was mounted on a thick cardboard paper sized 2.5 in. by 4 in. Cartes de visite were shared among families and friends, and mostly were stored in photographic albums. However, by the early 1880s, cartes de visite were replaced by larger cartes de imperiale (cabinet card), also albumen prints, mounted on cardboard backs measuring 4.5 in. by 6.5 in. Because of their size, cartes de imperiale would have been visible from across the room. As such, they were often displayed using frames and small stands.