Portraits of America
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Gelatin Silver Prints

Portraits printed on gelatin silver paper, the standard black and white process from the 1880s onward. Source archive and rights statement on every image.

40 portraits · free to download

Gelatin silver prints use light-sensitive silver salts suspended in gelatin on paper. Commercial gelatin dry plates arrived around 1878 and the printing paper followed, displacing albumen through the 1880s and remaining the standard black and white process for most of the twentieth century. The change mattered beyond chemistry: factory-made plates freed photographers from coating their own glass on the spot, which made portraiture faster and far more portable.

[Abraham Lincoln, full-length portrait, seated], 1885 (Library of Congress)

[Abraham Lincoln, full-length portrait, seated]

1885

[Portrait of Khaled Abdul Wahab], 1936 (Library of Congress)

[Portrait of Khaled Abdul Wahab]

1936

[Portrait of Khaled Abdul Wahab], 1936 (Library of Congress)

[Portrait of Khaled Abdul Wahab]

1936

[Portrait of Judith Anderson draped as a nun(?) in veils, in "Family portrait"], 1939 (Library of Congress)

[Portrait of Judith Anderson draped as a nun(?) in veils, in "Family portrait"]

1939

[Portrait of Judith Anderson in Family Portrait], 1939 (Library of Congress)

[Portrait of Judith Anderson in Family Portrait]

1939

[Portrait of Judith Anderson in Family Portrait], 1939 (Library of Congress)

[Portrait of Judith Anderson in Family Portrait]

1939

[Civil War Confederate veterans from left to right A.G. Harris, Gen. J.B. Nash (on the platform), J.A. McMichael and Private Benjamin F. Williams of Co. G, 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment, by the steps of, 1934 (Library of Congress)

[Civil War Confederate veterans from left to right A.G. Harris, Gen. J.B. Nash (on the platform), J.A. McMichael and Private Benjamin F. Williams of Co. G, 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment, by the steps of

1934

[Civil War veteran Private William Washington Nixon of Co. I, 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Regiment wearing badges giving nurse Alice Cary Risley a kiss on her forehead at G.A.R. reunion in Washin, 1936 (Library of Congress)

[Civil War veteran Private William Washington Nixon of Co. I, 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery Regiment wearing badges giving nurse Alice Cary Risley a kiss on her forehead at G.A.R. reunion in Washin

1936

Veterans of the civil war, members of the Grand Army of the Republic, who will participate in the Constitution day celebration program at Chicago Stadium on the night of Sept. 17, are (left to right), 1936 (Library of Congress)

Veterans of the civil war, members of the Grand Army of the Republic, who will participate in the Constitution day celebration program at Chicago Stadium on the night of Sept. 17, are (left to right)

1936

[Portrait of Terry Hornblow], 1937 (Library of Congress)

[Portrait of Terry Hornblow]

1937

[Portrait of Philip Langner], 1935 (Library of Congress)

[Portrait of Philip Langner]

1935

[Portrait of Philip Langner], 1932 (Library of Congress)

[Portrait of Philip Langner]

1932

Sunshine keeps our soldiers healthy. Daily sunning of equipment, 1923 (Library of Congress)

Sunshine keeps our soldiers healthy. Daily sunning of equipment

1923

A composite photograph of one private from each of the twenty-nine divisions that went into combat in France At right and left recognition insignia of the combat divisions, which embraced the 92nd mad, 1921 (Library of Congress)

A composite photograph of one private from each of the twenty-nine divisions that went into combat in France At right and left recognition insignia of the combat divisions, which embraced the 92nd mad

1921

[Private Joseph Tyler Jobson, of Co. G, 9th Virginia Infantry Regiment and Veteran Reserve Corps in United Confederate Veterans uniform with Confederate Veterans of Virginia membership badge and South, 1924 (Library of Congress)

[Private Joseph Tyler Jobson, of Co. G, 9th Virginia Infantry Regiment and Veteran Reserve Corps in United Confederate Veterans uniform with Confederate Veterans of Virginia membership badge and South

1924

[Civil War veteran James Monroe Fears of Co. K, 27th Mississippi Infantry Regiment and World War I soldier Arch Franklin Fears], 1917 (Library of Congress)

[Civil War veteran James Monroe Fears of Co. K, 27th Mississippi Infantry Regiment and World War I soldier Arch Franklin Fears]

1917

[Civil War veteran Benoni Briggs of G.A.R. Reno Post no. 9 with a World War I soldier], 1917 (Library of Congress)

[Civil War veteran Benoni Briggs of G.A.R. Reno Post no. 9 with a World War I soldier]

1917

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Bridge views, 1911 (Library of Congress)

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Bridge views

1911

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Christmas 1912, 1912 (Library of Congress)

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Christmas 1912

1912

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Child on rocking bird, 1912 (Library of Congress)

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Child on rocking bird

1912

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Bridges, 1912 (Library of Congress)

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Bridges

1912

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Child on beach, 1912 (Library of Congress)

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Child on beach

1912

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Riverside Park, 1911 (Library of Congress)

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Riverside Park

1911

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Mrs. Gottscho, 1911 (Library of Congress)

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. Mrs. Gottscho

1911

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. While away, 1912 (Library of Congress)

Early years, with images of family, self portraits, landscapes and architectural interiors. While away

1912

Chief Charlot and family, Flathead Reserve, 1908 (Library of Congress)

Chief Charlot and family, Flathead Reserve

1908

Secretary Root to Mayor Weaver: [...], 1905 (Library of Congress)

Secretary Root to Mayor Weaver: [...]

1905

Tommy Come Last, 1902 (Library of Congress)

Tommy Come Last

1902

Iron White Man & wife, 1902 (Library of Congress)

Iron White Man & wife

1902

Mrs. American Horse, 1902 (Library of Congress)

Mrs. American Horse

1902

Makes Good, 1902 (Library of Congress)

Makes Good

1902

Brings Plenty, 1902 (Library of Congress)

Brings Plenty

1902

Conquering Bear and White Coyote, 1902 (Library of Congress)

Conquering Bear and White Coyote

1902

[Unidentified African American Civil War veteran in Grand Army of the Republic uniform with two children], 1900 (Library of Congress)

[Unidentified African American Civil War veteran in Grand Army of the Republic uniform with two children]

1900

Gettysburg Post, no. 191, G.A.R., Memorial Day, 1895, 1895 (Library of Congress)

Gettysburg Post, no. 191, G.A.R., Memorial Day, 1895

1895

A happy Yakima family, 1890 (Library of Congress)

A happy Yakima family

1890

Chief Thomas and family, 1897 (Library of Congress)

Chief Thomas and family

1897

[Civil War veteran First Lieutenant Charles P. Lord of Co. C, 6th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and Co. F, 8th Maine Infantry Regiment with G.A.R. hat and badge], 1890 (Library of Congress)

[Civil War veteran First Lieutenant Charles P. Lord of Co. C, 6th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and Co. F, 8th Maine Infantry Regiment with G.A.R. hat and badge]

1890

[Buffalo soldiers of the 25th Infantry, some wearing buffalo robes, Ft. Keogh, Montana], 1890 (Library of Congress)

[Buffalo soldiers of the 25th Infantry, some wearing buffalo robes, Ft. Keogh, Montana]

1890

[Group of Civil War veterans outdoors, wearing large ribbon badges, some holding axes and an American flag, possibly at a reunion for the Third Battle of Winchester, Virginia], 1880 (Library of Congress)

[Group of Civil War veterans outdoors, wearing large ribbon badges, some holding axes and an American flag, possibly at a reunion for the Third Battle of Winchester, Virginia]

1880

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