Composer Stephen C. Foster, circa 1855

01

Artifact Overview

This portrait carte-de-visite shows songwriter Stephen C. Foster, known as the "father of American music." The carte-de-visite was a small photographic print on cardboard stock made by professional photographers. Americans collected and exchanged cartes-de-visite--most popular from the Civil War in the 1860s through the 1880s--to commemorate family members or celebrities.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Carte-de-visite (Card photograph)

Subject Date

circa 1855

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

2012.0.5.56

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford

Material

Cardboard
Paper (Fiber product)
Ink

Technique

Albumen process
Mounting
Handwriting

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 4 in
Width: 2.375 in

Inscriptions

Label on front under image reads: STEPHEN C. FOSTER / "Entered according to Act of Congress in the year __ / ... J.M. Greene, in the Clerk's Office of District Court__ / ...United States for the Northern DIstrict of Ohio." Handwritten in ink on back of carte: To Mrs. A. S. Robinson / This copy of the / only correct (sic) likeness / in existence of my late brother Stephen C. / Foster, is respectfully / presented by / Morrison Foster