Portrait of an Athlete, circa 1885

01

Artifact Overview

This unidentified "tattooed man" with patriotic tattoos was photographed by Charles Eisenmann in his Bowery district studio. Eisenmann captured the eclectic mix of people who frequented the Bowery, including circus performers like this -- a likely client of the area's infamous tattoo parlors. Eisenmann's images were reproduced for sale in the form of cabinet cards, popular among the middle class.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Carte-de-visite (Card photograph)

Date Made

circa 1885

Subject Date

circa 1885

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

93.51.4

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Cardboard
Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Albumen process
Printing (Process)

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 4.125 in
Width: 2.5 in

Inscriptions

verso, printed: Chas. Eisenmann Instantaneous Photographers The Popular Photographer 229 Bowery, N.Y. obverse, printed: Eisenmann Photo- 229 Bowery, N.Y.
Portrait of an Athlete, circa 1885