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Primary sourcePhotographbefore 1869

Sixth Plate Daguerreotype of Franklin Pierce

before 1869

An early photographic portrait of Franklin Pierce taken sometime before his death in 1869.

This daguerreotype provides a direct photographic likeness of Pierce made during his lifetime.

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Oval-framed sepia portrait of a man with dark curly hair, wearing a dark suit, high collar, dark bow tie, and white waistcoat, turned slightly to the side. The image has a rainbow-tinted, tarnished oval border.
Unattributed, Sixth plate daguerreotype of Franklin Pierce, before 1869.

About this source

What it is

This is a sixth-plate daguerreotype, an early type of photograph, showing a portrait of Franklin Pierce. The photographer is not recorded, and the exact date is unknown, but it was made before Pierce's death. The oval image shows him in a dark suit with a high collar, bow tie, and white waistcoat.

Why it matters

Daguerreotypes were among the first common forms of photography, and portraits like this one give us a direct visual record of how historical figures actually looked, rather than an artist's interpretation. This image lets students see Pierce's real appearance as captured by an early camera.

Look closer

  • How does this photographic portrait differ from the painted or engraved images of Pierce?
  • What might Pierce's clothing and pose tell us about how he wanted to be seen?
  • Why do we not know who took this photograph or exactly when?

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

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