Poised and formal, a seated mother gazes calmly while her young son stands confidently at her side, resting his hand gently on her shoulder in a subtle but affectionate gesture. The boy clutches a small red book, his attire impeccably styled, complete with a crisp white pocket square. Both subjects are dressed in rich, dark garments, and the faint hand-tinting applied to their cheeks brings warmth to their otherwise solemn expressions.

Stamped in the brass mat with the address “194 Canal St.” and the name “RICE,” the image was taken at the New York City studio of Samuel N Rice, an accomplished daguerreotypist active in the mid-19th century. The quarter plate daguerreotype is housed in a fine, deep brown leather case embossed with an elaborate bouquet design. The composition and clarity of the portrait reflect the technical precision and aesthetic sensibility of one of Manhattan’s leading portrait artists of the daguerreian era.