The Artistry of the Mid-Century Studio

Provenance & Curation: This sixth-plate daguerreotype was identified during the 2022 “Byron Barn” extraction as a primary example of high-end studio portraiture. Curated by Professor Tom Muir Wilson (RIT), it was separated for the secure Rochester vault due to its exceptional level of detail and artistic embellishment.

Technical Specifications:

Subject: A young child in a patterned dress, notable for the delicate hand-tinting of the cheeks—a technique Wilson often cited when teaching the evolution of color in photography.
Backdrop: Features a rare, painted scenic landscape backdrop, indicating a high-level professional studio commission.
Format: Sixth-plate daguerreotype (visualized with scale).
Case Details: Housed in a leatherette Union case with a pristine, deep-rose floral embossed velvet lining.
Condition: The plate maintains a sharp, lustrous mirror finish with a natural, subtle tarnish halo that does not infringe on the subject. The ornate scalloped brass mat is in museum-quality condition.

The Wilson Archival Connection

This piece serves as a critical link in the Craft World Tours Collection. It demonstrates the 19th-century obsession with “capturing life” through color and setting—the same drive that fueled Professor Wilson’s later global expeditions and his massive Ektachrome and slide archives in East Rochester.

Scalloped Mat

The Hand-Tinted Child Study | Sixth-Plate Ambrotype | Ornate Scalloped Mat