[Woman with Four Children] 1850s

"Woman with Four Children" is a daguerreotype created by French photographer Alexandre Bertrand in the 1850s. The image captures a woman and four children, likely her family, arranged in a formal composition. The use of a daguerreotype, a popular photographic process in the mid-19th century, resulted in a unique, highly detailed image with a timeless quality. The portrait's intimate setting, likely a family home, underscores the growing popularity of photography in documenting domestic life. This work is currently part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York City.