Country Mother and Child
SOLD March 2007 |
European sixth plate daguerreotype of a mother and child in country setting. Inscribed on the plate at lower left. Housed in a period passe-partout mount with brass hanging hook at top, front glass has been replaced.
Originally found in Gambettola, Italy, this plate appears to have been placed in its present housing during the daguerreian period, although there are some handling abrasions in upper right corner that might indicate it had been removed from the mount or transferred from a different one.
The plate bears an inscription lower left, visible at some angles of lighting. It less obtrusive in real life than in the illustrations, which are intended to accentuate the inscribed text. A likely guess at the inscription would be "24 Mars 56" (French for "24 March 56") followed by a signature. The second word of the inscription could also be read as "Mears"[?].
