This is Robert Cornelius, aged 30, standing in the autumn sun outside his father’s family store on 8th street, Philadelphia. This is one of the first pictures he took - its a self portrait.
Answer (highlight to read):
175 years old.
On the back of the image is the inscription “The first ever light picture, 1839″. It is the earliest known self-portrait. Cornelius opened a photographic studio, but closed it after a few years, focusing on his father’s business.
Cornelius died in 1893, aged 84. The original picture is in the collection of the American Philosophical Society
Around a 100 years?
wow..170 years old!(if considered taken in 1839)
Is this absolutely definitely true? I’m surprised to see so much light definition in the hair, cheeks and clothes etc, on a picture that would have used such a primitive technique.
It didn’t take long at all for early pioneers to get the hang of things. There is a startling museum of early photography at Fox Talbot’s Home: Lacock Abbey.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/cymraeg/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-lacockabbeyvillage/w-lacockabbeyvillage-talbotmuseum.htm