A bearded man and a young woman pose together in this quarter-plate daguerreotype, almost certainly a father-daughter pair of musicians captured in the 1850s. The man holds a cello with bow in hand, while the woman holds a violin and bow, making this a rare double-instrument occupational portrait from the daguerreian era. No photographer's imprint is visible on the plate or case.

The man wears a dark suit with a white cravat and fixes the camera with a direct, composed gaze. The woman is dressed in a dark velvet gown with a wide lace collar, her hair arranged in an elaborate braided coronet. Applied hand-coloring highlights a floral brooch at her bodice and rings on her fingers, and a small music stand is faintly visible between the two subjects.

Double-musician portraits are among the most sought-after occupational daguerreotypes, and the combination of cello and violin in a single image is exceptionally uncommon. The gilt mat and preserver are intact within a leather case with a red velvet pad opposite, secured by a decorative brass clasp.

The image measures quarter plate.