A young man holds a shaggy medium-sized dog across his lap in this sixth plate tintype, likely dating to the 1860s based on the applied hand coloring visible on the subject's cheeks and the early ferrotype process evident in the image. The portrait is uncased and carries no photographer's imprint. The direct, slightly averted gaze and relaxed posture give the image an informal quality uncommon in studio portraiture of the period.

The subject wears a heavy tweed sack coat with wide lapels, a dark bow tie, and a vest visible beneath the open jacket. Both hands rest on the dog, a rough-coated terrier type with shaggy fur and front paws extending forward over the sitter's lap. The chair is a dark wood parlor chair with a curved back rail, and a plain studio backdrop hangs behind the pair.

Animal portraits in early tintype photography are relatively uncommon, as keeping a live subject still for the exposure required cooperation from both sitter and pet. The ease with which this dog rests against the young man suggests a familiar bond, and the deliberate inclusion of the animal as the compositional equal of the human subject reflects an intentional choice by both photographer and patron.

The tintype is a sixth plate, presented without a case or mat.

From the collection of James Lee Soffer