Daguerreotype self-portrait of Henry Fitz Jr.
date: label: Date made
content: 1839-11
name: label: maker
content: Fitz, Henry Jr.
notes: label: Description
content: This self-portrait of early American photographer and optician Henry Fitz, Jr.(1808-1863) is a ninth plate daguerreotype said to have been made in a five minute exposure in bright light. Fitz took this image as early as the fall of 1839 giving it the distinction of being the first self-portrait taken in the United States. Fitz prepared the copper plate used for the daguerreotype in his workshop using a hammer on a polished anvil, and sealed it in a brass frame.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Maryland, Baltimore
topic: label: Subject
content: Portraits
label: Subject
content: Men
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Photographic History
label: See more items in
content: Photography
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Henry G. Fitz
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: PG.004114A
label: accession number
content: 109990
label: catalog number
content: 4114A
objectType: label: Object Name
content: daguerreotype
label: Object Name
content: photograph
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: copper plate (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: frame: 12 cm x 15 cm; 4 3/4 in x 5 7/8 in