This exhibit comprises both cased examples, mostly American, and larger framed plates, primarily European. Rarities include artistic whole plates of Boston’s upper crust by Southworth & Hawes; one of the earliest photos of Jerusalem, an archaeological whole plate by Girault de Prangey; and an important, unpublished gold-rush daguerreotype featuring a female miner. 

All the major collecting genres of daguerreotype – landscapes, occupational, erotic stereos, postmortems, slavery subjects, and of course portraiture – are represented by superb, often surprising examples in this unique and memorable exhibit. The newly-expanded comprehensive survey of the daguerreotype featuring important examples from America, France, England and the Mideast.