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| CAW-492. DON'T BLAME HIM! How would YOU have felt at four or five years old if your parents mentioned that they were taking you to a nice man's studio to have your daguerreotype taken and oh yes, please bring your puppy with you? Upon entering the operating room the daguerreian might have attempted to engage you in a conversation while steering you in the direction of his specially constructed piece of furniture made to support children. One of your parents would have held the dog while you were seated and told not to move even when you wondered why the man was placing cold iron against the back of your head. The lens would have been pre-focused and the exposure calculated in advance because the amount of light streaming through the window on the right and reflected from the left to soften any shadows was constant and comparable to many other days the maker had worked effectively. As the dag man moved next to the camera, he instructed dad to place the animal in his son's lap while mentioning to the lad to hold his pet very still and not to move himself. Remarkably, the retaped sixth plate was hugely successful, although the face of the mutt is soft, not so much from the boy's failure but because it was too far forward and not within the depth of field. I like the kid's cocked head and concerned expression. A pink pigment was brushed on his shirt and also his face. The white streaks in the dark drop are artifacts from the buffing process. The brown spot on the clothing is almost invisible as the highly reflective plate is admired. In fact, the luminosity of the likeness is liquid! And the sharpness is very impressive. Patina is inside the oval mat and a couple faint mold mites are present. The youngster and his friend are in a complete leather case. $1,800 |
