Mathew B Brady

Mathew B. Brady was born about 1823 in Warren County, New York. (Webster¡Çs, 129) He was born into an Irish family and was brought up with little education. It is said that he had his own way of spelling the first part of his given name and he did not know what his middle initial represented. (W.J.G., 584) It could be because he was born with failing eyesight that he had trouble with his education. (May, 2) It is a kind of irony considering his chosen profession. Although he had no formal education he managed to scrape together a reasonable facsimile. (W.J.G., 584) His friend William Page, the painter, encouraged him to draw. In 1840, Page introduced him to Samuel Morse, who was experimenting with an early type of photography called t

Samuel Morse taught Brady all about daguerreotypes and soon he was experimenting on his own. (Webster¡Çs, 129) While he experimented the technology was rapidly improving. In 1844 he became skilled enough to open his own professional studio in New York. Brady¡Çs photos grew in popularity and his studio attained much success. He entered his work in the annual exhibitions of the American Institute. In the years 1844-48 his work won the sliver medal at the exhibition and in 1849 he was awarded the first gold medal for a daguerreotype. (W.J.G., 585) At this time he began experimenting with producing tinted plates on ivory. (Webster¡Çs, 129) He won again at the 1850 World¡Çs Fair in London. (W.J.G., 585) Then in 1851 he was awarded another medal at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London. The ivory plates became very popular and Brady¡Çs wealth grew considerably. (Webster¡Çs, 129) Sadly, in that very same year, his eyesight became too poor for him to operate a camera. He was forced to have assistants do the work for him. (Rudisill, 547) It did, however, seem that his goal of taking pictures of every famous American was within reach if he were to hire people and train them in the use of the camera. (Webster¡Çs, 129) In 1855 Brady brought over Alexander Gardener from England. Gardener was an expert in

Some topics in this essay:
Allan Pinkerton, Civil War, York Webster¡Çs, Exhibition London, Washington DC, Samuel Morse, Company York, American Institute, Portraits Representative, Soon Brady, wjg 585, webster¡Çs 129, mathew brady, civil war, brady¡Çs pictures, government buy, taking pictures, samuel morse, failing eyesight, webster¡Çs 130,