Alfred W. Ely

Alfred W. Ely

Mathew Brady Studio, active 1844 - 1894 (attributed)

Details

Dimensions
Plate: 9.2 × 5.9 × 0.3 cm (3 5/8 × 2 5/16 × 1/8")
License
CC0-1.0
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Frederick Hill Meserve Collection

Art Genome Taxonomy

10 tags

Subject Matter

  • Individual Portrait Both · 99%

    One named sitter is shown alone in a formal pose, and the catalog identifies the subject as Alfred W. Ely and classifies the work as a portrait.

  • Interiors Both · 95%

    The sitter is presented within a studio-like interior, and Interior is listed among the catalog subjects.

  • Face Visual · 98%

    The sitter's face is a major focal point of the composition, with clearly visible eyes, hair, and beard.

  • Political Figures Metadata · 99%

    The catalog identifies Alfred W. Ely as a U.S. Congressman and government official associated with New York.

Visual Qualities

  • Black and White Visual · 99%

    The supplied image is rendered in grayscale, with strong tonal contrast between the sitter's dark clothing, light shirt, and mid-tone backdrop.

Medium and Techniques

  • Photography Both · 99%

    The object is cataloged as a photographic negative and visibly presents a posed photographic portrait.

  • The catalog specifies a glass plate collodion negative, identifying a traditional nineteenth-century photographic process.

Time Periods

  • 19th Century Art Metadata · 99%

    The catalog dates the work to approximately 1860–70, placing it within nineteenth-century art.

Geographic Regions

  • American Art Metadata · 95%

    The recorded place of origin is Washington, District of Columbia, United States.

Furniture and Lighting

  • Table Both · 98%

    A small table is clearly visible at the left of the image, and the catalog lists a table under Home Furnishings.

Source & rights

Mathew Brady Studio, active 1844 - 1894. Alfred W. Ely. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Frederick Hill Meserve Collection.