Girl with Purse
SOLD March 2005 |
Sixth plate copy daguerreotype by Southworth and Hawes of a sweet young girl holding a purse. In original red leather case.
This sixth plate daguerreotype appears to be a (laterally reversed) copy of the Southworth and Hawes whole plate illustrated in Sobieszek "The Daguerreotypes of Southworth and Hawes" (1980), plate 56 - "Unidentified Child" (Museum of Fine Arts Boston). The whole plate of which it is a copy was donated to the MFA by the Hawes family long after the daguerreian era and presumably had not left the family's possession during that time. Plate preparation is consistent with Southworth and Hawes work and the image was found housed in a red leather case of a design also associated with the studio.
Image is rich and somewhat dark, with slightly soft focus. It nevertheless captures the essence of Southworth and Hawes aesthetic. Some light residue from a mold spider above her head to the left.
A higher-resolution scan of this piece is available via email.
