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Primary sourcePhotographMarch 1849

Zachary Taylor at the White House

Mathew Brady · March 1849

A daguerreotype of Zachary Taylor taken at the White House in March 1849 by photographer Mathew Brady, shortly after he became president.

A photograph of Taylor taken at the White House just as he began his presidency.

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Sepia-toned daguerreotype portrait in profile of an elderly man with wavy gray hair, dark suit, and high white collar, seated facing left against a dark background. Handwritten inscription along the bottom edge.
Mathew Brady, daguerreotype of Zachary Taylor at the White House, March 1849. Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University.

About this source

What it is

This daguerreotype shows General Zachary Taylor at the White House, photographed in March 1849 by Mathew Brady. The image is held by the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University.

Why it matters

Mathew Brady became one of the best-known photographers of his era, and this portrait shows how photography was beginning to shape the public image of presidents right as Taylor took office. It is a direct, contemporary record of Taylor at the start of his presidency.

Look closer

  • Why might a photographer want to capture a new president right at the White House?
  • What does the handwritten inscription add to our understanding of the photograph?
  • How does Taylor's pose and dress compare with other portraits of him?

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

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Zachary Taylor half plate daguerreotype

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