IN-GALLERY | Writing Workshop | Photos of 19th Century American Life

Join us for a writing workshop inspired by the early days of photography. We will draw inspiration from the exhibition From Shadow to Substance: Grand-Scale Portraits During Photography’s Formative Years. We will use close looking at works of art, portraying 19th century era Americans, learn historical information about early photographic processes, and use guided writing prompts to create fictional stories.

This class is open to writers of all levels, who are 18+.

About the Exhibition: Drawing on the National Portrait Gallery’s extensive early photography collection, this exhibition traces the evolution of the grand-scale, whole-plate format from the high-end daguerreotype to the mid-range ambrotype to the more affordable tintype. Examples of whole plates in each of these mediums illustrate how the format evolved as new photographic processes were introduced. Featured works include daguerreotypes representing U.S. senators Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun, as well as papal nuncio Gaetano Bedini; an ambrotype portrait of American landscape artist John Frederick Kensett; and a tintype likeness of an unidentified African American woman.

The Portrait Gallery strives to provide programs that are accessible to all visitors. If you have questions about the accessibility of this program, or if you would like to request real-time captioning (CART), sign language interpretation, or any other accommodations, please contact bnBnZWR1Y2F0aW9uIHwgc2kgISBlZHU=. Two weeks' advance notice is appreciated for requesting accommodations.

Image Credit: Unidentified woman, 1865. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

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