Beschreibung:

Irregular half plate daguerreotype of a portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte, possibly after François Joseph Lefebvre's 1809 portrait of the French ruler. The image appears to be an up-close view of the portrait, only showing Napoleon's bust. Indecipherable pencil inscription is present behind image, just above an ink inscription referencing a "Mrs. R. G. Allen" and a "Mrs. Thomas R. Gould," the wife of renowned American sculptor, Thomas Ridgeway Gould known for his busts of Jesus Christ, Satan, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Junius Brutus Booth and his sculptures including West Wind, The Ghost in Hamlet, John Hancock John Bridge, and Kamehameha I. Though much of the note is difficult to decipher, it is possible that the daguerreotype featured here was owned by a relative of Thomas Ridgeway Gould Daguerreotype housed in full case, separated at spine. Condition: Image appears to have come unsealed and was partially resealed at some point with tape. Top edge portion of velvet border in back of case has come loose, but is included in the lot. Image with some tarnish to upper and lower edges, light spotting, and some fading to portrait.