Daguerreotypes

Gallery

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Abraham Lincoln, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front. Nicholas H. Shepherd photographer, 1846 or 1847.
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Zachary Taylor and his cabinet, all seated except President Taylor. Produced by Mathew Brady's studio, 1849.
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Franklin Pierce, head-and-shoulders portrait, three-quarters to the left. Produced by Mathew Brady's studio, between 1851 and 1860.
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Andrew Jackson, head-and-shoulders portrait, nearly in profile to left, leaning against pillow of which ticking appears in lower left corner. Copy daguerreotype produced by Mathew Brady's studio, original possibly by Edward Anthony, between 1844 and 1845.
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5 of 8

Dolley Madison, three-quarter length portrait of a woman, facing front, seated. Produced by Mathew Brady's studio, 1848.
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Mary Todd Lincoln, three-quarter length portrait of a woman, seated, facing front Photographer possibly Nicholas H. Shepherd, 1846 or 1847
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7 of 8

James Knox Polk, three-quarter length portrait, three-quarters to the right, seated. Produced by Mathew Brady's studio, February 14, 1849.
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Zachary Taylor, half-length portrait, head in profile to the right. Produced by Mathew Brady's studio, between 1844 and 1849.
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About this Gallery

French photographer Louis-Jacques-Mand Daguerre invented the first commercial photographic process known as the Daguerreotype, in 1839. The process involved a plate of polished copper with a coating of light sensitive silver-halide. Once exposed, the latent image on the copper plate was developed using open flame and liquid Mercury. Daguerre published a precise description of this process titled, Histoire ET description du procede nomme le Daguerreotype, allowing anyone who purchased the booklet to make their own daguerreotypes.

American Photographers such as Mathew Brady marveled at this process, with its ability to capture a "truthful likeness." Brady, a famous American daguerreotype photographer created a gallery of images, ranging from presidents to the common man. This remarkable series of early presidential and first ladies photographic portraits reproduced on this page are public domain images from a daguerreotype collection in the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.

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Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection

The White House Collection and the Atlantic World Jennifer L. Anderson, Mahogany: The Costs of Luxury in Early America (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012). Vernon C. Stoneman, John and Thomas Seymour, Cabinetmakers in Boston, 1794-1816 (Boston, MA: Special Publications, 1959). Sarah Fling, “Sugar, Slavery, and the Washington China,” White House Historical Association, https://www.whitehousehistory.org/sugar-slavery-and-the-washington-china.Hannah Boettcher and Ronald W. F
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Conservation of the White House Collection

Care of any museum collection includes the conservation of objects to correct or stabilize deterioration from age or exhibition. Although the White House is an accredited historic house museum, it does not provide the traditional exhibition setting of objects under glass or behind ropes at all times. As the official residence of the president of the United States, objects from
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection

Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection: The Fight for Emancipation

This exhibit explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection: The White House Collection and the Atlantic World

This exhibit explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection: Enslaved Artisans

This exhibit explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Digital Library Exhibit
Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection: Slavery at the White House

This exhibit explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the United States through art, furnishings, chinaware, and other objects in the White House. This exhibit was curated by White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling.
Collection
Preservation of the White House

In the 1960s, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy oversaw the task of restoring the White House interiors and thus founded the White House Historical Association to enhance the understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the Executive Mansion. As a part of our mission, the Association provides financial support for acquisitions, refurbishing projects, and preservation initiatives of the White House, which involves collaboration
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Presidential and First Lady Portraits

Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies, a long-standing tradition of the White House Collection. Recent presidents and first ladies typically select their respective artists before leaving the White House and approve the portraits before their formal presentation to the public and induction into the collection. The
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An Artist Visits the White House Past

From the beginning of its construction in 1792, until the 1902 renovation that shaped the modern identity and functions of the interior of the White House, the fourteen paintings of this series examine the history of a national icon. Through meticulous research and tireless attention to detail, numerous sources inspired the brush of Peter Waddell to create a vision of the White
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The Kennedys and the Arts

President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s advocacy for the arts endures as a vital part of their White House legacy. From 1961 to 1963, the White House became a focal point for the arts and cultural engagement. The Kennedys hosted numerous concerts and performances and infused the Executive Mansion and the country with the same vitality, youth, and id
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A Tour of the White House

In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy resolved to make the White House a “living museum” by restoring the historic integrity of the public rooms and displaying the very best of American artwork, furniture, and décor. In order to fulfill her vision, Mrs. Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association, a private, non-profit organization created in partnership with the National Park Servi