Precocious Boy Quarter Plate Dag

SO CUTE! I have seen many adorable little boys posed for their archivally taped quarter plate portraits but never has a kid been responsible for attempting to keep his very large pet motionless! Back to the boy. Didn’t he appear to be precocious, as he sat on a fluffy stuffed coverlet with a tiny leg angled underneath his other one, probably to help support his dog’s substantial head? One hand was positioned away from his body, which gave him added stability. Let me say that the pet did move during the exposure, but I also believe that part of the softness was naturally occurring because the lenses’ elements might not have been perfectly made. The youngster tried mightily to calm the furry creature with his hand and arm pushing downward. The composition was masterful! I’m sure you are wondering like I am, if it was naturally arrived at with very little instruction from the professional daguerreotypist and/or the parents who would have accompanied their offspring to the operating room. The tableau was unfettered by any obvious props thus permitting the duo to pose casually. There are a few mat scrapes hiding within the broad original patina. The subtle tinting on the child’s face would have disappeared if any of the oxidation was removed, along with the pigments placed on the dog’s eyes and nostrils. A couple pale gray spots are on that partially buttoned tunic and a brown piece of lint under the gold chloride is hard to see on his trousers. Readers, when the lovely brown thermoplastic case is opened, the next owner of this masterpiece on silver will be delighted by the holographic depth and magical bond that is established with the maker’s subjects!