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Unknown Photographer — Portrait of Francis E. Brownell, “Ellsworth’s Avenger,” and Portrait of an Unknown Woman
Unknown Photographer

Portrait of Francis E. Brownell, “Ellsworth’s Avenger,” and Portrait of an Unknown Woman

A striking dual-sided photographic artifact presents a salt print portrait of Francis E. Brownell, famously known as "Ellsworth's Avenger," embellished with delicate ink highlights that lend depth and drama to his likeness. Flush-mounted to board, the work is distinguished by its reverse side, which bears a hand-painted salt print portrait of an unidentified woman, transforming the object into an intimate and layered keepsake. The unknown photographer demonstrates a thoughtful command of mid-nineteenth-century photographic techniques, blending the precision of the salt print process with hand-applied artistry to create a deeply personal memento.

Medium
Salt print with ink highlights, flush-mounted to board, with a hand-painted salt print portrait of a woman on the reverse of the flush-mount.

🔨 Auction Lot

The Odyssey of Collecting: Photographs from Joy of Giving Something Foundation, Part 2

April 4, 2017

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About this work

Unknown Photographer, Portrait of Francis E. Brownell, “Ellsworth’s Avenger,” and Portrait of an Unknown Woman

A striking dual-sided photographic artifact presents a salt print portrait of Francis E. Brownell, famously known as "Ellsworth's Avenger," embellished with delicate ink highlights that lend depth and drama to his likeness. Flush-mounted to board, the work is distinguished by its reverse side, which bears a hand-painted salt print portrait of an unidentified woman, transforming the object into an intimate and layered keepsake. The unknown photographer demonstrates a thoughtful command of mid-nineteenth-century photographic techniques, blending the precision of the salt print process with hand-applied artistry to create a deeply personal memento.

Medium
Salt print with ink highlights, flush-mounted to board, with a hand-painted salt print portrait of a woman on the reverse of the flush-mount.
Seen at
Phillips, New York, London, Hong Kong

Related themes

Nineteenth Century, Vintage, Monochrome, Photography, Documentary, American, Salt Print, Historical, Portrait, Hand-Tinted

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