Lot 13

Lot 13

An extremely rare Russian daguerreotype by Iosif Ivanovich Peishes, (Иосиф Иванович Пейшес), a French subject who worked in Moscow as a daguerreotypist and photographer. A history of early Moscow photography places his “French establishment” at the corner of Bolshaya Dmitrovka and Stoleshnikov Lane, in Zasetsky’s house. Peishes created rare, historically significant photographic portraits of Russian aristocrats and elites during the 1850s. He came to Moscow in 1842 to teach French, however after failing in this endeavor, he turned to painting miniatures on ivory and then to the daguerreotype to photograph the aristocracy in a variety of cities, including Kazan, Nizhniy Novgorod, and finally Moscow. This sixth-plate daguerreotype features a stately woman in an artistic and thought-provoking pose with her finger resting on her head. She wears a lovely black gown with fabulous floral white lace highlights. Her hair is styled in divine sausage girls that perfectly frames her face. The image is presented in a gold gilded black paper passe-partout with a faux marbled back and originally had a built-in stand that is missing. On the back of the image, a studio label is seen at the top and further down there is an inscription in French from the sitter that reads: “To my beloved mother, from her devoted daughter, Madame Cougnard, Moscow, March 18, 1855.” We opened the image to clean the inside of the glass and we have resealed it with archival tape. The image has very nice contrast and tonal qualities and some lighter plate tarnish which could be professionally removed if so desired. We wanted to leave it in its original state.

Opening bid $900