Identified sixth plate daguerreotype portrait of Marion Hawes, taken by the renowned Boston partnership of Albert Sands Southworth and Josiah Johnson Hawes. The subject, seated in a refined pose and dressed in the formal style of the mid-nineteenth century, is captured with the precision and tonal elegance for which Southworth & Hawes are celebrated. The exposure, lighting, and clarity of form reflect the technical mastery and artistic sensibility that have made their work foundational in the history of American photography.

The image presents a full-body view of a young Marion Hawes, seated sideways on their iconic spool-turned chair beside the famed fluted studio column. She wears a patterned off-the-shoulder dress and visible pantalettes, her crossed legs resting loosely on the chair in a pose that is relaxed yet deliberate. Her head tilts gently as she gazes slightly off-camera, lending the portrait a sense of introspective grace. A patterned floor covering and draped upholstery further suggest the carefully constructed interior settings typical of the studio’s most composed sittings.

The sitter, Marion Hawes, was the daughter of Josiah Hawes, and portraits of her appear in a limited number of known Southworth & Hawes works, often referenced in institutional collections and scholarship. As a subject, she was captured multiple times by the studio, her features becoming part of their visual lexicon and serving as examples of their evolving techniques. This particular image comes with an important provenance, having been offered in the landmark Feigenbaum Collection sale in 1999, an event that helped reshape the valuation and visibility of early American photography in the marketplace.

The plate represents the studio’s aesthetic ideals, naturalistic lighting, expressive depth, and a deep respect for the sitter’s individuality. Southworth & Hawes operated from 1843 to 1863 and were among the earliest photographers to be recognized as artists rather than mere technicians. Their portraits are held in major institutions including the George Eastman Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Few daguerreotypists achieved their level of renown during their lifetime, and fewer still produced work that continues to resonate as powerfully with modern audiences.

Images of identified members of the Hawes family, photographed by the studio itself, remain scarce in the private market. The presence of such a portrait in a recognized provenance chain elevates its importance as both a personal document and a work of photographic art.