Meade Brothers: Pioneers in American Photography

This show will explore the lives and careers of the Charles R. Meade and Henry W. M. Meade brothers who, along with their contemporaries such as Mathew Brady and Southworth and Hawes, are recognized as leading members of the first generation of American studio photographers. The National Portrait Gallery’s substantial collection of Meade Brothers daguerreotypes will serve as the core of the exhibition. In addition, loans of Meade Brothers objects from public institutions and private collections, including large-format daguerreotype of Sam Houston and two daguerreotypes of Louis Daguerre, will be featured. This exhibition is thought to be the first dedicated solely to the work of the 19th-century American photographers.