Getty Museum

[Portrait of a Man with a Saddle]

Date

1850–1854

Medium

Hand-colored daguerreotype

Culture

American

Department

Photographs

Institution

Getty Museum

One wonders if it was the daguerreotypist or the sitter himself who chose to go to such considerable lengths to dress for this image. If ever there were a cowboy dandy, this is his portrait. Confidently, but self-consciously posed and standing next to a table covered with fancy linens on which a highly polished saddle is displayed, he holds a small cigar in one hand and a buttoned leather glove in the other. His gleaming white, wide-brimmed hat sets off his dark moustache, chin beard, and sideburns. He wears a fringed poncho and scarf, elegant protection against a rugged winter. The slight discomfort evident in his gaze may result from the lengthy portrait sitting or may indicate that he is merely playing dress-up with a borrowed costume. Adapted from getty.edu, Interpretive Content Department, 2008

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