Cicero Stephens Hawks 1862

This portrait of Cicero Stephens Hawks, Bishop of Missouri, was created by Jeremiah Gurney, a prominent photographer in the 19th century. The image offers a window into the visual culture of the American elite during a period of immense social change. Hawks, a man of considerable religious and social standing, is captured here with a certain formality, a visual language of power and authority. Yet, this image also invites us to consider the complex relationship between representation and identity. How does the act of photographing someone shape their legacy? How does it solidify or challenge existing social hierarchies? As we gaze upon Hawks's image, let’s reflect on how photography both documents and constructs our understanding of history. It compels us to confront the power dynamics embedded within the act of portraiture.