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Lot 20

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CULTURED WOMAN PIANO. Framed French daguerreotype

6 ¾" x 5 ¾" French daguerreotype in a deep oval mat with reverse painted glass cover, in a hanging frame that has only a few nicks. The plate has been re-sealed, with the glass cleaned, but the blue paper backing is retained, on which "Septembre 1851" is written in early pen.

She has a splendid dress, and her ring and earrings are gilded. She is positioned between a piano and a table on which a book rests on its edge. Books on tables are standard daguerreian props, but here it seems to be a deliberate indication of her literary cultivation to complement the musical skills suggested by the piano.

This is a warm-toned plate that goes well with the chocolate brown of the mat and the darker brown of the frame. There is a ring of tarnish, but no damage to the plate. The second scan better shows the condition of the plate, without the glare on the upper right that is an artifact in the first scan. [3+]

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