Remarkably tender sixth plate daguerreotype portrait of a deceased elderly man laid to rest with great care. His head is propped gently on a cushioned pillow and his features are serene in repose, with his eyes closed and a faint smile upon his lips. The white collar has been arranged with precision, suggesting a formal viewing or final tribute.
The image is framed within an elegant oval brass mat and preserved under glass. Likely produced in the early 1850s, the daguerreotype offers a striking example of early American mourning portraiture, capturing a moment of dignity and peace in the face of death. A powerful and personal relic of antebellum photographic practice and domestic ritual.
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