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Barnum's Collection of Curiosities

Barnum
Usage Conditions Apply
Artist
Edward S. Hall
Waters & Son Engravers
Copy after
Mathew Brady Studio, active 1844 - 1894
Sitter
Robert Hales
Mrs. Robert Hales
George Washington Morrison Nutt, 01 Apr 1848 - 25 May 1881
Charles Sherwood Stratton, 4 Jan 1838 - 15 Jul 1883
Lavinia Warren Stratton, 31 Oct 1841 - 25 Nov 1919
Minnie Warren, 02 Jun 1849 - 23 Jul 1878
Vantile Mack
Hannah Crouse
Suzie Reed
William Henry Johnson, c. 1842 - 1926
Pauline Cushman, 10 Jun 1833 - 2 Dec 1893
Jenny Lind, 6 Oct 1821 - 2 Nov 1887
Jane Campbell
Col. Goshen
James Murphy, c. 1841 - 1875
Possibly
Paul H. Kinney
Sitter
Rudolph Lucasie
P. T. Barnum, 5 Jul 1810 - 7 Apr 1891
Anna Haining Swan, 06 Aug 1846 - 05 Aug 1888
Edward Newell, 27 Jul 1857 - 23 Dec 1915
Eng Bunker, 11 May 1811 - 17 Jan 1874
Chang Bunker, 11 May 1811 - 17 Jan 1874
Date
c. 1860-70
Type
Photographic Negative
Medium
Glass plate collodion negative
Dimensions
Plate: 9.4 × 6.3 × 0.2 cm (3 11/16 × 2 1/2 × 1/16")
Topic
Costume\Jewelry
Costume\Jewelry\Necklace
Symbols & Motifs\Medal
Home Furnishings\Furniture
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair
Costume\Headgear\Hat
Nature & Environment\Plant\Flower\Flowers
Weapon
Nature & Environment\Animal\Cat
Nature & Environment\Plant\Tree
Weapon\Spear
Equipment\Walking stick\Cane
Weapon\Sword
Costume\Headgear\Hat\Top hat
Costume\Dress Accessory\Handkerchief
Nature & Environment\Animal\Dog
Architecture\Building
Costume\Headgear\Veil
Equipment\Umbrella\Parasol
Costume\Dress Accessory\Fan
Vehicle\Boat
Costume\Dress Accessory\Feather
Nature & Environment\Animal\Bird
Costume\Headgear\Headdress\Crown
Nature & Environment\Animal\Elephant
Music\Musical instrument\Drum
Nature & Environment\Animal\Bird\Owl
Nature & Environment\Animal\Bird\Eagle
Nature & Environment\Animal\Reptile\Snake
Nature & Environment\Animal\Fish
Nature & Environment\Animal\Bear
Architecture\Fountain
Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Necktie
Nature & Environment\Animal\Whale
Vehicle\Carriage\Baby carriage
Costume\Dress Accessory\Belt
Pauline Cushman: Female
Pauline Cushman: Performing Arts\Performer\Actor
Pauline Cushman: Military and Intelligence\Intelligence agent\Spy
P. T. Barnum: Male
P. T. Barnum: Performing Arts\Performer\Showman
P. T. Barnum: Performing Arts\Circus owner
P. T. Barnum: Society and Social Change\Administrator\Cultural organization administrator\Museum
Jenny Lind: Female
Jenny Lind: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer\Opera singer
Jenny Lind: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist
Jenny Lind: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer\Soprano
Lavinia Warren Stratton: Female
Lavinia Warren Stratton: Education and Scholarship\Educator\Teacher
Lavinia Warren Stratton: Performing Arts\Performer
Lavinia Warren Stratton: Society and Social Change\Person with a Disability\Dwarfism
George Washington Morrison Nutt: Male
George Washington Morrison Nutt: Performing Arts\Performer\Entertainer
George Washington Morrison Nutt: Society and Social Change\Person with a Disability\Dwarfism
Charles Sherwood Stratton: Male
Charles Sherwood Stratton: Performing Arts\Performer
Charles Sherwood Stratton: Society and Social Change\Person with a Disability\Dwarfism
Minnie Warren: Female
Minnie Warren: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer
Minnie Warren: Society and Social Change\Person with a Disability\Dwarfism
Chang Bunker: Male
Chang Bunker: Performing Arts\Performer
Eng Bunker: Male
Eng Bunker: Performing Arts\Performer
William Henry Johnson: Male
William Henry Johnson: Performing Arts\Performer
Anna Haining Swan: Female
Anna Haining Swan: Performing Arts\Performer
James Murphy: Male
James Murphy: Performing Arts\Performer\Circus performer
Suzie Reed: Female
Suzie Reed: Performing Arts\Performer
Suzie Reed: Society and Social Change\Person with a Disability\Dwarfism
Edward Newell: Male
Edward Newell: Performing Arts\Performer
Edward Newell: Society and Social Change\Person with a Disability\Dwarfism
Paul H. Kinney: Male
Paul H. Kinney: Performing Arts\Performer
Paul H. Kinney: Society and Social Change\Person with a Disability\Dwarfism
Rudolph Lucasie: Male
Robert Hales: Male
Mrs. Robert Hales: Female
Vantile Mack: Male
Hannah Crouse: Female
Jane Campbell: Female
Col. Goshen: Male
Portrait
Place
United States\New York\Kings\New York
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Frederick Hill Meserve Collection
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Object number
NPG.81.M1917
Collection Description
The Frederick Hill Meserve Collection comprises more than five thousand Civil War-era portrait negatives from the Mathew Brady photography studio in New York City. The collection, which the National Portrait Gallery acquired in 1981, includes portraits of generals, politicians, diplomats, painters, and performers. It also contains depictions of “Human Curiosities” at P. T. Barnum’s American Museum in New York City, that, although highly exploitative, help to document the historical representations of disability in the United States.
La Colección Frederick Hill Meserve contiene más de 5,000 negativos de retratos de la época de la Guerra Civil provenientes del estudio fotográfico de Mathew Brady en la ciudad de Nueva York. Adquirida por la National Portrait Gallery en 1981, la colección incluye retratos de militares, políticos, diplomáticos y artistas. También contiene imágenes de “curiosidades humanas” exhibidas en el American Museum de P.T. Barnum en Nueva York. Estas últimas, a pesar de su índole degradante, nos ayudan a documentar la representación histórica de las personas discapacitadas en EE.UU.
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Location
Currently not on view