Primary sourcePhotograph1849
Daguerreotype Portrait of James K. Polk
Mathew Benjamin Brady · 1849
Mathew Brady's 1849 daguerreotype of President Polk, taken near the end of his term, is his best-known photographic likeness.
This is the best-known photographic portrait of Polk, taken near the end of his presidency.
About this source
What it is
This is a daguerreotype portrait of James K. Polk made by photographer Mathew Brady in 1849, shortly before Polk left the presidency. The image has been restored from a damaged original.
Why it matters
Photography was still new in the 1840s, and this is considered Polk's best-known photographic likeness. It shows him near the end of four demanding years as president, offering a more direct and less idealized view than a painted portrait.
Look closer
- What does Polk's expression and posture suggest about how the years in office affected him?
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This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of James K. Polk on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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