The Fisherman

Artist William C. North (American, 1814 - 1890)

Dateca. 1850

MediumDaguerreotype

DimensionsPlate (half): 5 1/2 × 4 1/4 inches (13.97 × 10.8 cm)
Case (open): 6 × 9 1/2 × 3/8 inches (15.24 × 24.13 × 0.95 cm)
Case (closed): 6 × 4 3/4 × 11/16 inches (15.24 × 12.07 × 1.75 cm)

Credit LineGift of Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Object number2005.27.34

SignedEmbossed on velvet liner: "North / Artist / Cleveland"

Inscribednone

Markingsnone

On View

Not on view

Collections

Photography

Terms

DescriptionImage of bearded man with a satchel draped across his chest as he holds a fishing pole in his left hand. This half plate daguerreotype is housed in an oval brass mat inside of a full leather case with a red velvet liner marked: "North / Artist / Cleveland".Gallery Label

Gallery Label

This subject, an unidentified fisherman, depicts a mid-1800s American character: the gentleman-outdoorsman. This piece might have been made for a display gallery in William C. North's studio to impress clientele. The subject's artistic pose and lighting, as well as the size of the daguerreotype, would have demonstrated the studio's technical and artistic expertise.

Published References

Theodatus Garlick, A Treatise on the Artificial Propagation of Certain Kinds of Fish (Cleveland: Thomas Brown, 1857);

Mary Sayre Haverstock, Jeannette Mahoney Vance, and Brian L. Meggitt, eds., Artists in Ohio, 1797-1900: A Biographical Dictionary (Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, ca. 2000): 325-26;

Maurice Joblin, Cleveland Past and Present; Its Representative Men (Cleveland: Fairbanks, Benedict, & Co., 1869): 375-78.

Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information, is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete. Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image, please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.