Sixth Plate

COCKY AND SELF-CONFIDENT. With his tiny hands thrust deep into the pockets of his tinted red tunic, the little character from a Dickens Novel appeared as though he was in complete control of the situation. Standing for his restored sixth plate added to the dynamism of his daguerreotype. I was intrigued by the light sources used to illuminate the tyke. A narrow cone of brightness was directly overhead highlighting the top of his unique head gear that had a ribbon on the left and tassels on the right. A stronger beam entered the space from the lower left and broader more even brightness was opposite. I suspect that the dark curtain served two purposes. One to act as a prop and the other was more practical as a window covering. Gold accentuated the kid?s buttons and a bit of tint was brushed on his face. All the horizontal lines occurred because the finished polishing process was flawed. Excellent deep depth pushes the subject against the boundary of that brass mat. His complete leather case, circa 1846 seems correct for the likeness. Opposite the boy was a bright purple velvet cushion embossed with flowers. Patina creates a second narrow oval shape.