Les Chiens 1860s

"Les Chiens" (The Dogs) is a daguerreotype by Pierre-Louis Pierson, a prominent French photographer working in the mid-19th century. The image, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features a small, white dog lying on a dark, textured surface. The dog's fur is rendered with exceptional detail, a testament to the precision of the daguerreotype process, and its eyes are captivatingly sharp. The piece is framed by an elaborate, engraved border, a hallmark of Pierson's work. This work, despite its diminutive size, showcases Pierson's mastery of the medium, and it serves as a striking example of the early evolution of photography as an art form.