Untitled (Portrait of Two Girls)
1865
Medium
Ambrotype
Dimensions
8.2 × 6.9 cm (3 1/4 × 2 3/4 in.); Open case: 9.3 × 16 × 1.2 cm (3 11/16 × 6 5/16 × 1/2 in.); Case: 9.3 × 8 × 1.9 cm (3 11/16 × 3 3/16 × 3/4 in.); Plate: 8.3 × 7 cm (3 1/4 × 2 3/4 in.)
Classification
portrait
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
250073
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Photography and Media department of the Institute of Chicago, *Untitled (Portrait of Two)* (1865) is a delicate ambrotype—a pioneering photographic process from the mid-19 century. Created by an unknown maker, this intimate portrait captures two young girls gazing directly at the viewer, their expressions poised and earnest. Measuring just 8.2 × 6.9 cm, the glass plate is housed in an ornate case (9.3 × 8 × 1.9 cm when closed), typical for ambrotypes, which were often carried as personal treasures or displayed on parlor tables. Ambrotypes, popular from the 1850s to 1860s, invol...