This 1852 daguerreotype captures a rare and striking image of an obese woman, an unusual scene at a time when obesity was rarely documented or displayed in photographic portraits. This historic piece offers insight into social norms and perceptions of the human body in the mid-nineteenth century, challenging traditional representations of beauty and status. The precision and clarity of the daguerreotype accentuate the singularity of this image, testifying to photography’s beginnings as a powerful means of social and personal documentation.
