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Primary sourcePhotographc. 1843-1845

Zachary Taylor half plate daguerreotype

unknown, possibly Maguire of New Orleans · c. 1843-1845

The best-known photograph of Zachary Taylor, taken while he was still an army officer before becoming president.

The best-known photographic portrait of Taylor, taken as an army officer before he became president.

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Sepia-toned daguerreotype portrait of an older man with white, tousled hair in a dark military-style double-breasted uniform coat with rows of buttons and shoulder insignia, seated with hands out of view, facing the camera with a stern expression against a gray backdrop.
Unknown photographer, possibly Maguire of New Orleans, portrait of Zachary Taylor, c. 1843-1845.

About this source

What it is

This half-plate daguerreotype portrait of Zachary Taylor was made around 1843–1845, possibly by a photographer named Maguire of New Orleans, before Taylor became president. The maker is not certainly known.

Why it matters

This is considered the best-known surviving photograph of Taylor. It shows him as the plain, weathered military man nicknamed

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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