Portrait of an unidentified sitter

Portrait of an unidentified sitter, daguerreotype by Thomas Easterly, circa 1850s.

This striking daguerreotype portrait was created by Thomas Easterly (1802–1882), an early American photographer who worked primarily in St. Louis, Missouri. The image dates from the mid-1850s, during the period when daguerreotypes were among the most advanced photographic techniques available.

Easterly operated Easterly’s Daguerreotype Gallery, located above W. H. Markham’s drug store at the corner of Fourth and Olive Street in St. Louis. His studio produced many portraits as well as some of the earliest photographic views of the American Midwest.

Although the identity of the sitter remains unknown, the carefully posed figure, elaborate clothing, and studio setting reflect the formal style typical of portrait photography during the early decades of the medium.

Source: Amon Carter Museum of American Art.