Strong Compostion Sixth Plate Dag

FROST ON THE WINDOWS. Surely it must have been a bright, crisp winter’s day when the youth sat for his nearly pristine newly resealed sixth plate daguerreotype. In fact in was so chilly that he had to move his head during the quick exposure just to keep his face warm. Why else would that area be slightly soft? The composition was strong; since the unknown operator had the lad place his right arm on an unseen table or chair’s arm. Don’t you wonder why only the top button of that heavy wool coat, with frayed cuffs, was buttoned? With such a pretty face, I might have thought he was a student, yet the coarseness of his cloth suggests he was a youthful apprentice, occupation not revealed. A leather case in two parts is very worn and a small spot of bare wood is visible on the cover.