Smithsonian Acquires Rare Antique Portraits From First Black Photographers

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(Left) Unidentified artist, Untitled (family, painted backdrop), undated, tintype. Unidentified artist, Untitled (pin, woman in hat), undated, celluloid in metal setting. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Early American Photography, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L. Denghausen Endowment.





Smithsonian American Art Museum



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Untitled (young boy), undated, sixth-plate daguerreotype. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Early African American Photography, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L. Denghausen Endowment.





J. P. Ball/Smithsonian American Art Museum



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J. P. Ball/Smithsonian American Art Museum





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(Left) Untitled (smiling woman, photo case), ca. 1850, sixth-plate daguerreotype; (Right) Untitled (woman with books), undated, quarter-plate daguerreotype. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Early African American Photography, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L. Denghausen Endowment.





Augustus Washington/Smithsonian American Art Museum



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Augustus Washington/Smithsonian American Art Museum





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Untitled (woman, gold jewelry), ca. 1851 or later, sixth-plate daguerreotype. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Early African American Photography, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L. Denghausen Endowment.





G. J. Goodridge/Smithsonian American Art Museum



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G. J. Goodridge/Smithsonian American Art Museum





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Untitled (woman with child on lap), undated, quarter-plate daguerreotype. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Early American Photography, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L. Denghausen Endowment.





Mathew Brady/Smithsonian American Art Museum



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Mathew Brady/Smithsonian American Art Museum





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Unidentified artist, Untitled (pin/pendant, woman with curls; verso, with sculpted hair), 1853, daguerreotype in metal setting. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Photographic Jewelry, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L. Denghausen Endowment.





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(Left) Unidentified artist, Untitled (pin/pendant, man with large tie), 1848, daguerreotype in metal setting. (Right) Unidentified artist, Untitled (brooch, man with goatee), undated, albumen print in metal setting. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Photographic Jewelry, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L.





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(Left) Unidentified artist, Untitled (woman with hair ribbon), undated, sixth-plate ambrotype. (Right) Unidentified artist, Untitled (large pendant, young man), 1840-1849, daguerreotype in metal setting. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Early American Photography, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L. Denghausen Endowment.





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Unidentified artist, Untitled (hair band, young boy), ca. 1865, daguerreotype, woven hair, metal fittings. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Photographic Jewelry, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L. Denghausen Endowment





Smithsonian American Art Museum



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Smithsonian American Art Museum




Unidentified artist, Untitled (hair band, young boy), ca. 1865, daguerreotype, woven hair, metal fittings. Smithsonian American Art Museum, the L. J. West Collection of Photographic Jewelry, Museum purchase made possible through the Franz H. and Luisita L. Denghausen Endowment


Smithsonian American Art Museum