The First Photographs of People

Jacques Charles's students (?)

Alleged images lost

c. 1780/c. 1801/

1802-23 (?)

Jacques A. C. Charles (?)

Unknown

Louvre, Paris (?)

Professor Charles is said to have taken photographs in either c. 1780, c. 1801 or between 1802 and 1823. Among them, he is said to have captured his students' silhouettes at the Louvre. It is unclear if his experiments resulted in permanent photographs or not. No contemporary records of Charles's experiments are known to exist.

Lost (existence uncertain)

 1

M. Huet (?), possibly Constant Huet (23 Feb. 1797 - 1863)

 1

1837 (?)

Louis Daguerre (?)

Daguerreotype

Paris

Date unconfirmed; written on the back is "M. Huet / 1837." The first letters of Daguerre's signature are visible. Contemporary remarks from Daguerre's circle and Daguerre himself indicate that he was taking portrait photographs between 1837 and 1839. This could be one of such. Modern-day lens tests have also been conducted in regards to this image.

Unknown

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Unknown Man

 1

c. 1837/38 (?)

Louis Daguerre

Daguerreotype

Paris

Speculated to be one of Daguerre's early portrait tests. No further explanation.

BNF, Paris

 1

Unknown

Images lost

Spring 1839

John William Draper

Calotype

Hampden-Sydney College, Virginia

In 1858, Draper recounted that in spring 1839, he tried to capture the portrait of a person standing against a window. This turned out to be a silhouette rather than a portrait. These images may have been the ones thrown away by a Westchester, NY, antique dealer who was selling items from a Draper estate, including some of the other Draper images listed here.

Original lost, possibly destroyed

1, 2

Hippolyte Bayard

 1

Summer 1839

Hippolyte Bayard

Direct positive

Paris

The date is based on photographs from the same album. Bayard’s photographic exhibition on 24 June 1839 included at least one portrait.

Société française de photographie

1, 2

Hippolyte Bayard

1

c. Summer 1839 - 1840

Hippolyte Bayard

Direct positive

Paris

Unknown

 1

Unknown (Various)

Images lost

Late Aug. - Sep. 1839

Unknown (Various)

Daguerreotype

Paris

François Gouraud recalled, "Within fifteen days after the publication of the process of M. Daguerre [3 Sep. 1839], in Paris, people in every quarter were making portraits."

Originals lost

 1

Unknown People

Images lost

Late Aug. - Oct. 1839

Abel Rendu

Daguerreotype

Paris

François Gouraud recalled that before he left for America in October 1839, "... Mr. Abel Rendu ... produced ..., portraits of men and women, with the eyes open, executed in the most satisfactory manner." Exposures reportedly took between 1 and 2 ½ minutes. Some have speculated that Rendu compromised on factors such as plate size.

Originals lost

 1

Unknown Man

 1

Late Aug. 1839 - Dec 1839 (?)

Unknown

Daguerreotype

France (?)

According to historian Gabriel Cromer, it was taken in 1839. No further explanation.

Eastman House

 1

Unknown Man

Unlocated

Late Aug. 1839 - c. 1840 (?)

Unknown

Daguerreotype

France

According to The History of Photography by Helmut Gernsheim, "An undated half-length portrait of a man measuring about 1 in. x 2 in., is exhibited at the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers, Paris. It may well be one of the earliest successful daguerreotype portraits taken in France, though the museum authorities do not draw attention to this fact."

Conservatoire national des arts et métiers

 1

Unknown Girl (died aft. 1886)

Image lost

Sep. 1839 (?)

Auguste Florenville

Daguerreotype

Liège, Belgium

Exposure time reported to have been 7 minutes at 2 in the afternoon in September 1839.

Original lost

1, 2, 3

Unknown

Images lost

Sep. (?) - Nov. 1839

Noël Lerebours & Susse

Daguerreotype

Paris

The exact date of Susse's earliest portraits is not known, but it may have been in September 1839. Despite poor results, Susse's & Lerebours’ daguerreotype manual of November 1839 contained advice on capturing portraits, indicating some level of experience.

Originals lost

1, 2

William Henry Goode (?)

 1

22/23 Sep. 1839 (?)

John William Draper

Daguerreotype

Chapel of New York University

This image is speculated to be one of Draper’s first photographic portraits, showing William H. Goode on 22 or 23 September 1839. It matches Draper's description of his first portrait photographs. This and the three images below were acquired from a dealer in Westchester County, NY, who purchased them from a Draper estate. The Smithsonian had also purchased some Draper items from this dealer.

H. McManus Collection

 1

John William Draper (?)

 1

24 Sep. - 7 Oct. 1839 (?)

Samuel F. B. Morse (?)

Daguerreotype

Northwest Corner of New York University

The image possibly depicts John William Draper and matches Draper's descriptions of his first portrait photographs.

H. McManus Collection

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Samuel F. B. Morse (?)

 1

24 Sep. - 7 Oct. 1839 (?)

John William Draper

Daguerreotype

New York University

The image possibly depicts Samuel Morse and matches Draper's descriptions of his first portrait photographs.

H. McManus Collection

1, 2,  3, 4, 5

Theodore Frelinghuysen (?)

 1

24 Sep. - 7 Oct. 1839 (?)

John William Draper

Daguerreotype

New York University

The image possibly depicts Theodore Frelinghuysen, then chancellor of New York University. The image matches Draper's descriptions of his first portrait photographs.

H. McManus Collection

1, 2,  3

Unknown

 1

c. late Sep. 1839 - Dec. 1839

Samuel F. B. Morse or a Student (?)

Daguerreotype

New York

Part of the Maillet collection to be auctioned in June 2025. No explanation provided for either attribution or date.

Christies

1, 2

Rev. William Demarest

 1

c. late Sep. 1839 - 1840 (?)

John William Draper (?)

Daguerreotype

New York (?)

Said to be a very early daguerreotype possibly made by John William Draper. No explanation provided for the date.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

 1

Rev. William Demarest

 1

c. late Sep. 1839 - 1840 (?)

John William Draper (?)

Daguerreotype

New York (?)

See above.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

 1

Susan Walker Morse (1819 - 1855) & Friend

 (1)

Late Sep./early Oct. 1839

Samuel F. B. Morse

Daguerreotype

New York

Only engravings made after the portraits survive. Originals were full-length portraits made in bright sunlight on a rooftop.

Published reproduction; original lost

1, 2

Susan Walker Morse (1819 - 1855) & Friend

 (1)

Late Sep./early Oct. 1839

Samuel F. B. Morse

Daguerreotype

New York

See above.

Published reproduction; original lost

1, 2

Henry Earle Insley

 1

c. late Sep. 1839 - very early 1840

Henry Earle Insley

Daguerreotype

New York

Insley was the brother-in-law of George W. Prosch, a New York instrument maker who was associated with Samuel Morse and his daguerreotype experiments in 1839. Insley and Prosch later opened a daguerreotype gallery. The Nelson-Atkins Museum has several daguerreotypes made by Insley.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

1, 2, 3, 4

Unknown Woman

Image lost

Oct. 1839

Marcellin Jobard

Daguerreotype

Belgium

The image is said to have depicted a sleeping woman on a sofa.

Original lost

 1

Unknown

Images lost

Oct. 1839 (?) - 1840

Johann Baptist Isenring

Daguerreotype

St Gallen, Switzerland

Isenring is said to have started taking portraits immediately after he received his camera in October 1839. He exhibited over 30 portraits in mid-1840.

Originals lost

1, 2

Ezra Otis Kendall

 1

Oct./Nov. 1839

Walter Rogers Johnson

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

Analyzed in Stapp (1983) Robert Cornelius, Portraits from the Dawn of Photography in greater detail.This is likely the image M. A. Root described in 1864: “The earliest daguerreotype portrait from life, was probably one of Dr. Kennedy, the principal of the Polytechnic Institute, taken by the late Professor Walter R. Johnson in 1839.” In a December 1839 letter, Robert Haines, a Germantown schoolboy, described how Johnson failed to take a daguerreotype of his cousin because a cat interrupted the sitting. It is unclear whether another attempt was made.

Historical Society of Pennsylvania

1, 2, 3

Robert Cornelius

 1

Oct./Nov. 1839

Robert Cornelius

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

Believed to be the earliest surviving successful photographic self-portrait. Analyzed in Stapp (1983) Robert Cornelius, Portraits from the Dawn of Photography in greater detail.

Library of Congress

1, 2

Christian Cornelius

Image lost

Oct. - 6 Dec. 1839

Robert Cornelius

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

Original lost; last seen in 1939.

Original lost

 1

Friends and/or family of Robert Cornelius

 1

Oct. - 6 Dec. 1839

Robert Cornelius

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

Original lost; this copy is from an 1890’s negative by Julius Sachse. This may be the picture of Cornelius’ children which he later described.

Published reproduction; original lost

 1

Isaac Fraley Baker

Image lost

Oct. 1839 - early 1840

Robert Cornelius

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

Original lost; last seen in 1939.

Original lost

 1

Unknown Man

 1

Oct. 1839 - early 1840

Robert Cornelius

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

D. Waters Collection

 1

Unknown Man

 1

Oct. 1839 - early 1840

Unknown

Daguerreotype

USA

Said to be the earliest daguerreotype profile portrait. Speculated to have been taken between October and December 1839 or early 1840.

D. Waters Collection

 1

Unknown Man

 1

Oct. 1839 - May 1840

Robert Cornelius (?)

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

Possibly by Robert Cornelius. Plate characteristics indicate that it was taken no later than May 1840.

Silver Shadows Gallery

 1

Unknown Man

 1

Oct. 1839 - 1840

Unknown

Daguerreotype

USA

D. Waters Collection

 1

Unknown Man

 1

Oct. 1839 - 1842

William G. Mason (?)

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

Date derived from plate’s lack of gold toning.

Library of Congress

 1

John Johnson

Image lost

6/7 Oct. 1839

Alexander S. Wolcott

Daguerreotype

New York

Original lost; last seen in 1858. The tiny 3/8" plate was described as showing a profile of Johnson against a window.

Original lost

1, 2

Unknown Woman

Image lost

Before 14 Oct. 1839

Alfred Donné

Daguerreotype

Paris

Presented to Académie des Sciences on 14 October 1839. Described as a portrait of a lady with her eyes closed.

Original lost

 1

Louis Daguerre

Image lost

Before 2 Nov. 1839

Louis Daguerre

Daguerreotype

Paris

J. W. Lubbock wrote to William Talbot on 2 November 1839, “Daguerre has done a portrait of himself, said to be excellent.”

Original lost

 1

Count Chotek with Family & Friends

 1

3/4 Nov. 1839 / c. 1841?

Carl von Steinheil (?)

Daguerreotype

Munich, Germany

Date based on diary entries from two of the people photographed. Sometimes dated c. 1841. Back Row: Unknown, Count Séraincourt, Antonin Chotek, Count Karel Chotek, Emanuel Chotek

Front Row: Unknown, Unknown, Count Séraincourt's wife, Maria Chotek

Seated: Bohuslav Chotek

State Chateau of Velké Březno

1, 2, 3

Paul Beck Goddard

 1

Dec. 1839 (?)

Robert Cornelius

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

According to Julius Sachse, it was taken in December 1839. No further explanation.

Published reproduction; original lost

1, 2

Paul Beck Goddard

 1

Dec. 1839

Robert Cornelius

Daguerreotype

Philadelphia

This was probably one of the daguerreotypes which was presented in December 1839 to the American Philosophical Society. Analyzed in Stapp (1983) Robert Cornelius, Portraits from the Dawn of Photography in greater detail.

American Philosophical Society

1, 2, 3

Henry Fitz Jr.

 1

11 Dec. 1839 - Feb. 1840

Henry Fitz Jr. or Alexander S. Wolcott & John Johnson

Daguerreotype

New York

The date of November 1839 is erroneous, as Fitz only arrived in America in December 1839. Proper experimentation with his partners Wolcott & Johnson only began in January 1840 because one of them fell ill. This is presumably one of their very first results.

National Museum of American History

1, 2

Unknown Woman, Dorothy Catherine Draper (?), W. H. Goode (?)

 1

Dec. 1839 (?)

John William Draper

Daguerreotype

New York

Speculated to have been taken in December 1839. The image matches Draper's descriptions of his portrait photographs from late 1839. This image was acquired separately from the other images listed here by Draper.

H. McManus Collection

 1

Unknown Individuals

 1

1836-39

Louis Daguerre & Mathurin Fordos

Daguerreotype

Pont Neuf, Paris

Said to be Daguerre’s first daguerreotype in the open air. Detail reveals two construction workers lying in the shade.

Musée des Arts et Métiers

1, 2, 3

Unknown Individuals

 1

24 Apr. - 4 May 1837/38

Louis Daguerre

Daguerreotype

Paris (Present-day Place de la République)

Earliest (more or less) reliably datable photograph featuring a person. Most notably a man getting his shoes shined. This image was seen by Samuel Morse in his March 1839 visit to Daguerre's studio.

Destroyed

1, 2

Unknown Individuals

 1

c. 1839

Louis Daguerre (?)

Daguerreotype

Paris

Attributed to Louis Daguerre. The Louvre is visible in the background. No further explanation.

Musée français de la photographie

 1

Unknown Individuals

 1

c. 1839

Unknown

Daguerreotype

Pont Neuf, Paris

See below.

BNF, Paris

 1

Unknown Individuals

 1

c. 1839

Unknown

Daguerreotype

Pont Neuf, Paris

Probably taken from Lerebours' optician shop. Several people can be seen on the bank of the Seine. A similar image was created minutes apart. No further explanation.

BNF, Paris

 1

Unknown Individuals

 1

1839/40

Vincent Chevalier

Daguerreotype

La Bernardière, France

People are visible in front of the house. No further explanation.

Museum Ludwig, Cologne

1, 2

Unknown Individuals

 1

13 Sep. - 17 Oct. 1839

'Michel de St Croix'

Daguerreotype

London

Multiple people are visible.

Victoria and Albert Museum

1, 2

Unknown Individuals

 1

13 Sep. - 17 Oct. 1839

'Michel de St Croix'

Daguerreotype

London

A man getting his shoes shined (?) and possibly a seated man on the sidewalk can be seen. "Michel de St Croix" was probably a pseudonym.

The National Media Museum, Bradford

 1

Unknown Couple

Image Lost

c. 20 Sep. 1839

Eduard Petitpierre

Daguerreotype

Lustgarten, Berlin

It is said that a couple who stood still for the 23 minute exposure was visible on the photo.

Original lost

 1

Unknown Man

Image Lost

c. 20-27 Sep. 1839

Samuel F. B. Morse

Daguerreotype

New York

A view of the City Hall, where a sleeping coachman could be seen.

Original lost

 1

Unknown Man

 1

Late Sep./early Oct. 1839

Louis Daguerre

Daguerreotype

Pavillon de Flore, Paris

Possibly taken as part of Daguerre’s demonstrations at Quai d’Orsay in late September or early October 1839. The faint silhouette of a man can be seen on the bridge. No further explanation.

Musée des Arts et Métiers

 1