Untitled [portrait of an unidentified man] 1858 - 1869

This small-scale, black and white portrait photograph, "Untitled [Portrait of an Unidentified Man]," is a work by American photographer Jeremiah Gurney. The image shows an unidentified man standing in a formal pose in front of a pillar, clad in a dark coat and trousers. Gurney was a well-known photographer who captured many portraits of individuals, including this one, which is now part of the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It is an example of the popular and important photographic genre of portraiture that was popular in the 19th century. The image is small, measuring only 3 5/8 x 2 1/4 inches, which was a common format for portrait photographs during this period.