Haunting and tender, this ninth plate daguerreotype presents a powerful image of a deceased child posed in peaceful repose, carefully arranged with clasped hands and accented by delicate red floral tinting. The image is striking in its clarity and emotional impact, evoking the profound sentimentality and mourning practices of mid-19th century America.

Stamped in the plush red velvet pad of the case is the mark of W.A. Retzer, Daguerreotypist, Charlottesville. William A. Retzer first established himself as a daguerreotypist in Philadelphia in the 1840s before relocating to Charlottesville, Virginia, in the early 1850s. His work from this southern period is rarely encountered, and this example stands out not only for its maker’s provenance but also for the sensitivity of the composition.

Housed in its original floral leather case with moderate edge wear, the image is exceptionally well-preserved, with the delicate hand-coloring and the subtle contrast of the child’s peaceful features rendered in sharp detail. A rare and emotionally resonant Southern post mortem image by a known daguerreotypist.