[Bearded Man] 1853 - 1857

"Bearded Man" is a daguerreotype portrait created by Brady & Co. between 1853 and 1857. The image is a close-up, showing the subject’s face and shoulders. The man is dressed in a dark suit and his beard is prominent. The daguerreotype, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is a testament to the burgeoning photographic medium in the 19th century. The use of a small, portable format was popular during the time and allowed for affordable, intimate portraits. The crisp detail and direct gaze of the subject reflect the era's fascination with realism and capturing the individual.