Distinguished quarter plate daguerreotype portrait of a clergyman, attributed to the firm of Reed & Humphrey of Quincy, Illinois, and housed in a full leather case with red velvet pad. The sitter is shown in formal clerical vestments, including a dark robe and white preaching tabs, seated with calm dignity before a plain backdrop. In his left hand, he holds a Bible, the cover highlighted with a hand-colored gold cross, while his right hand gently points toward it, an intentional gesture emphasizing the authority and centrality of scripture in his calling.

The lighting and framing are skillfully executed, bringing out the sitter’s composed expression and the rich folds of his robe. The attention to pose and detail reflects the professional standards of Reed & Humphrey, one of the leading daguerreian partnerships in Illinois during the early 1850s. Their studio in Quincy produced highly refined portraits characterized by clarity, tonal depth, and restrained composition.

Clergy portraits from the daguerreian period are far less common than commercial or family likenesses, and this example carries added impact through the sitter’s active engagement with the sacred text. His gesture transforms the portrait from a static likeness into a visual sermon. The combination of theological symbolism, regional studio work, and exceptional preservation makes this an important and evocative image of antebellum American religious life.