Eben Matthews as a Child

This daguerreotype, titled "Eben Matthews as a Child," offers a rare glimpse into early photography and childhood portraiture from 1839. Created by an unknown artist associated with The Mercat Cross in Aberdeen, it captures a young Eben Matthews in a moment of stillness, a challenging feat given the long exposure times required for daguerreotypes. This early photographic process, newly invented, produced a unique, highly detailed image on a polished silver surface, making each daguerreotype a one-of-a-kind object. Its small size (just over 3 inches tall) and protective case suggest it was a treasured personal possession, perhaps kept as a memento by family. The anonymous nature of the artist speaks to a period when photography was still a nascent technology, often practiced by skilled artisans rather than recognized fine artists. While the Art Institute of Chicago's collection includes many works by anonymous artists, this piece stands out as an early example of photographic portraiture, a medium that would soon revolutionize how people documented their lives and captured likenesses.