Jeremiah Gurney
Encyclopedia
Jeremiah Gurney was an American daguerreotype
photographer operating in New York
.
Gurney worked in the jewelry trade in Saratoga
, but soon moved his business to New York City
and shortly after turned to photography, having been instructed and inspired by Samuel Morse. He was one of the pioneering practitioners of the daguerreotype process, opening the first American photo gallery on Broadway in 1840, and charging $5 for a portrait.
He created remarkably detailed portraits, using to the full the remarkable tonal rendition of the process. He selected his clients from New York's society elite, calling them "Distinguished Persons of the Age" and eschewing the political and entertainment figures favoured by his rival, Mathew Brady
. The quality of Gurney's portraits soon ensconced him as the finest daguerreotypist in Gotham
.
Gurney's photographic skills received numerous accolades, including a write-up in the Scientific American
of 5 December 1846. The New York Illustrated News, in an 1853 article, wrote that his establishment at 707 Broadway "consisted of nine spacious rooms, devoted exclusively to this art." In the 1840s Gurney showed his images at numerous exhibitions such as the American Institute Fair and later at the Crystal Palace
in London, achieving international renown. His business flourished and in 1858 he built a three-story white marble studio at 770 Broadway to house his pictures.
Gurney played a leading role in the training of the first wave of pioneering photographers such Mathew Brady, who made a name for himself as a civil war photographer. Brady had been employed as a journeyman making jewelry cases for E. Anthony & Co., and also made display cases for Gurney's daguerreotypes.
Daguerreotype
The daguerreotype was the first commercially successful photographic process. The image is a direct positive made in the camera on a silvered copper plate....
photographer operating in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Gurney worked in the jewelry trade in Saratoga
Saratoga, New York
Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is...
, but soon moved his business to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and shortly after turned to photography, having been instructed and inspired by Samuel Morse. He was one of the pioneering practitioners of the daguerreotype process, opening the first American photo gallery on Broadway in 1840, and charging $5 for a portrait.
He created remarkably detailed portraits, using to the full the remarkable tonal rendition of the process. He selected his clients from New York's society elite, calling them "Distinguished Persons of the Age" and eschewing the political and entertainment figures favoured by his rival, Mathew Brady
Mathew Brady
Mathew B. Brady was one of the most celebrated 19th century American photographers, best known for his portraits of celebrities and his documentation of the American Civil War...
. The quality of Gurney's portraits soon ensconced him as the finest daguerreotypist in Gotham
Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898
Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 is a non-fiction book by historians Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace. Based on over twenty years of research by Burrows and Wallace, it was published in 1998 by Oxford University Press and won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for History...
.
Gurney's photographic skills received numerous accolades, including a write-up in the Scientific American
Scientific American
Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
of 5 December 1846. The New York Illustrated News, in an 1853 article, wrote that his establishment at 707 Broadway "consisted of nine spacious rooms, devoted exclusively to this art." In the 1840s Gurney showed his images at numerous exhibitions such as the American Institute Fair and later at the Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
in London, achieving international renown. His business flourished and in 1858 he built a three-story white marble studio at 770 Broadway to house his pictures.
Gurney played a leading role in the training of the first wave of pioneering photographers such Mathew Brady, who made a name for himself as a civil war photographer. Brady had been employed as a journeyman making jewelry cases for E. Anthony & Co., and also made display cases for Gurney's daguerreotypes.