Intimate Pose Sixth Plate Dag

SIMPLY STUNNING! Who were these gorgeous women, posing with such intimacy so rarely seen in mid-19th century sixth plate daguerreotypes! The gal on the left was wholesome and perky, while her companion was more mysterious and quite beautiful. Someone suggested that the two ladies should be seated next to each other on small wooden chairs in a room that was surrounded by darkness, absorbing all the sun’s rays, except for the natural spotlight that shone on the pair. The lass’s interwoven fingers on her friend’s bare shoulder were perfectly placed. She reciprocated by putting one arm around her partner and gently touched her elbow with the other hand. Their warm and loving embrace appeared to have been spontaneous. Whose idea was this arrangement? Does it matter one whit? Not in my mind! After their maker created his masterwork, he finished the girls’ once highly polished mirrored surface with impressive colorful pigments. He further embellished the image by painting their jewelry golden. Each time I admire those faces, with heads touching at their temples, I try to guess why they were taken in this incredibly daring composition! There are a few mat scrapes on the archivally taped sparkling likeness. Remarkable as it might seem, I believe that the operator polished the piece in both directions. While it is true, patina has covered much of the silver, when the plain black leather push button case is opened and the couple is examined, these two patrons of the highest art seen in daguerreotypy will smile back coquettishly and welcome you to join them inside that brass mat!