A Dark Foreshading --On a Flash Picture: "Take us smilin' or we'll lay yer out!"

In the late nineteenth century, advances in photography technology led to an increase of photography studios specializing in affordable portraits. This print presents a humorous portrait studio session. Here, a man and his bulldog --both seated beside each other on their respective red-covered chairs (at left) -- frown (looking quite alike) and suspiciously glance at the photographer and his camera on a tripod as they formally pose for their portrait. The photographer (at right) has his head under the black cloth hood as he slightly bends over to look through his camera lens (set on a tripod) at right. The photographer raises his right hand to signal the camera exposure. Hanging on the wallpapered wall In the background (to the right of a closed door) are two framed pictures: a portrait in oval frame (left) and a larger rectangular frame filled with three rows of cabinet card portraits (center) -- the larger frame installed above a wooden table covered with ten blue glass bottles (the photographer's chemicals).



Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888), who established a successful New York-based lithography firm in 1835, produced thousands of hand-colored prints in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life. In 1857, Currier made James Merritt Ives (1824–1895) a business partner. People eagerly acquired Currier & Ives lithographs, such as those featuring spectacular American landscapes, rural and city views, marines, railroads, portraits, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments. The firm operated until 1907. Most of the images were printed in monochrome, then hand-colored by women who worked for the company; later, many prints were printed in color.