Untitled (Portrait of a Man Holding a Newspaper and Wearing a Straw Hat) 1868

This photograph, made sometime in the 19th century using the daguerreotype process, presents a man holding a newspaper. In this period, photography democratized portraiture, previously the domain of the wealthy. The man's choice to be photographed with a newspaper is revealing. Newspapers were becoming increasingly important in shaping public opinion and political discourse. The man’s straw hat suggests a casual, perhaps rural, identity, contrasting with the formal attire and the gravity associated with literacy and news consumption. This contrast tells us that the sitter wants to present himself as a modern man of the people. To understand the nuances of this image, one might research the history of photography, the rise of mass media, and the cultural significance of clothing in 19th-century America. Only then can we appreciate the social conditions that shaped the production and reception of this artwork.