American
Joseph Lindon Smith and His Daughter, Rebecca, 1902
Platinum print, 36.8 x 29.2 cm (14 1/2 x 11 1/2 in.)
This vertical platinum print photograph shows a medium-skinned, dark-haired, mustached man seated in a chair, cuddling a light-skinned infant in his arms. The man’s hands cradle the infant’s bottom, and the infant’s legs are bent so that the infant appears to be walking up the man’s lap. The man is facing toward our right and the infant is facing toward our left, so that both of their smiling faces are mostly visible to us. The man is wearing a loose, light-colored garment, and the infant is naked.
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Commentary
Smith delighted in amusing Gardner with whimsical letters, stories, and sketches. This photograph from the collection captures his personal warmth through an affectionate moment with his infant daughter.