Lot 4

Lot 4

Rare English sixth-plate daguerreotype of a drawing of Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, attributed by the former owner to George Richmond, from a Richmond family estate. This is very similar to a well-known chalk drawing by Richmond, although she is wearing a different outfit in this image.  Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell was an English novelist, biographer, and short story writer. Her writings were detailed studies of Victorian society, including the extremely poor. Her first novel, Mary Barton, was published in 1848. Her only biography, The Life of Charlotte Brontë, was published in 1857. While controversial, it did establish the Brontë family’s long-term fame. George Richmond, of the Royal Academy, was an English painter and portraitist. In his youth he was a member of The Ancients, a group of followers of William Blake. His later career as a portrait painter included British nobility and royalty. The image is also identified by a velvet mat stamp to T Paine, 26 Park Street, Camden Town. Paine certainly had a love for copying art as we have sold a few other daguerreotypes by him in this genre. The image is in very good plus condition with strong tones and contrast. The detail is amazing- which was not commonly seen with copy daguerreotypes. The tarnish pattern is also quite beautiful. There is one tiny spot on her lapel and a couple of mat marks from the plate moving because of loose old seals. It is housed in a typical full plain leather English case with a repaired spine.

Opening bid – $190