Marvelous Post Mortem Quarter Plate Dag

MIRACULOUS! The ancient woman had recently passed and her family members realized that they wanted to memorialize her memory on a professionally conserved quarter plate daguerreotype. They engaged a local operator, circa 1847, and he arrived at the home experiencing some trepidation. He knew that his subject would remain immobile but he also realized that they would have to construct a primitive makeshift arrangement so he could move the body close enough to a window for proper light distribution. As much by accident as by design the daguerreian achieved astounding illumination. I was moved by the artistry of the composition and intense feelings that the young woman in the foreground must have felt. When I hold this masterpiece in hand and closely examine the entire tableau, there is pathos and even heaviness in the air around me. It is difficult to accurately portray or even begin to explain why. Shrouded in mystery and eternal darkness was a gentleman whose hand rested on his knee and is seen through the slats in the chair used to prop up the deceased subject. The buffing process was rather rough; adding a texture to the highly reflective tableau. The subject’s face and day cap were crisply focused. The depth of field was very narrow. Swirling patina flows freely inside the brass mat. Mold spiders and a few other white specks and flecks are visible. If you are an advanced collector and desire to own a fantastic postmortem please consider this likeness kept in a worn leather case with a professionally repaired leather spine. A variant of the delicate roses theme is on both covers.