James Jackson [first physician to Massachusetts General Hospital, 1777-1867] c. 1850 - 1855

Editor: This is an intriguing daguerreotype by Southworth & Hawes, a portrait of Dr. James Jackson. The image is quite small and intimate, and the stark contrasts give it a really serious, almost haunting, quality. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a time capsule, really. Think about it—this is light itself, trapped onto silver, from maybe the 1840s or 50s, showing us a man who lived through the American Revolution! It's like staring into the face of history, a tangible link to a bygone era. The shadows aren't just dark, they're whispering stories of a life lived. Editor: That's a powerful way to think about it. I was so focused on the somber mood, I missed the connection to such a distant past. Curator: It’s easy to get caught up in the immediate impression. But art, especially portraiture, is often about more than just what's on the surface, isn’t it? It's about who we were, who we are, and maybe even who we hope to be.