Catching A Shadow: Daguerreotypes in Philadelphia, 1839-1860 January 5, 2010

This exhibition explores how news of the daguerreotype spread throughout Philadelphia both to the scientifically inclined men who experimented with the new process and to the public who sat for their portraits, and it examines the city's role as a leading center for daguerreotyping. It highlights the careers of selected Philadelphia daguerreotypists including Robert Cornelius, Marcus Root, and the Langenheim brothers. Many examples of daguerreotypes from the Library Company's collection and other institutional collections are featured, along with early books about daguerreotyping, studio advertisements, equipment, and related ephemera.