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Primary sourcePhotograph1864

Portrait of Samuel Leonard Tilley

William Notman · 1864

A studio photograph of Samuel Leonard Tilley taken in 1864, the year of the Confederation conferences, when he was premier of New Brunswick.

This 1864 portrait shows Tilley as premier of New Brunswick during the Confederation negotiations.

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Black and white studio portrait of a standing man with wavy hair and side whiskers, wearing a dark long coat, waistcoat, and bow tie. His left hand rests on an ornate carved table holding a book and a small carved box. A column and draped backdrop appear behind him, with a carved chair at right.
William Notman, Samuel L. Tilley, 1864. Albumen silver print.

About this source

What it is

This is a photograph of Samuel Leonard Tilley taken in Montreal in 1864 by the photographer William Notman. It shows him standing in formal dress, resting a hand on an ornate table with a book and small box, in a typical studio setting of the period.

Why it matters

This portrait was made during the year of the Confederation conferences, when Tilley served as premier of New Brunswick and took part in the discussions that would lead to the creation of Canada. Studio portraits like this one were a common way for politicians of the era to be publicly recorded.

Look closer

  • What does the formal pose and setting suggest about how Tilley wanted to be seen?
  • Why might photographers like Notman have been in demand for portraits of politicians?
  • What does this image not tell us about Tilley's political work?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Samuel Leonard Tilley on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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