A Claim to Equality of the Sexes: A Woman Daguerreian Voice in Mid-19th Century Americas
Presentation Type
Event
Start Date
8-3-2026 6:54 PM
Description
This presentation sheds light on the work of Marcelia W. Barnes, a previously overlooked North American woman daguerreian practitioner from the 1850s. Through her unexamined experiences and progressive vision, she asserted her place in the male-dominated field, paving the way for other women artists. In her letter to the Daguerreian Association, she wrote, “I am not disposed to reiterate the claim to equality of the sexes… but if the above is the case, I would simply ask if… the intricacies of the art, and its perplexities may not be overcome by the quick perceptions and patient perseverance of the female mind.” She spoke on behalf of women practitioners, and as a poet, articulated her thoughts eloquently. By addressing the Association, she sought to promote recognition and opportunities for women photographers. Despite entering photography late in life, she remained committed to the art and never married. This presentation provides an understanding of the challenges women faced in the earliest photographic technology: the daguerreotype.
Carlos G. Vertanessian is an Argentine independent scholar on the daguerreian period in Argentina. He has authored four books including Primeros Daguerrotipos en Argentina, El retrato imposible. Imagen y poder en el Río de la Plata, Retratos del Plata. Historias del daguerrotipo, and PRIMERAS. Las argentinas y la fotografía. 1840-1870. His work has been declared of national cultural interest by the National Academy of Fine Arts. He received The Daguerreian Society Fellowship Award “for the advancement of scholarship in the field of photo history and the willingness to share that knowledge.” He serves as a guest lecturer and writer, and is a board member of The Daguerreian Society (U.S.).
Relational Format
Conference proceeding
Recommended Citation
Vertanessian, Carlos G., "A Claim to Equality of the Sexes: A Woman Daguerreian Voice in Mid-19th Century Americas" (2026). Women of Photography: A 24-Hour Conference-a-thon Celebrating International Women’s Day. 47.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/womenofphotography/2026/schedule/47
A Claim to Equality of the Sexes: A Woman Daguerreian Voice in Mid-19th Century Americas
This presentation sheds light on the work of Marcelia W. Barnes, a previously overlooked North American woman daguerreian practitioner from the 1850s. Through her unexamined experiences and progressive vision, she asserted her place in the male-dominated field, paving the way for other women artists. In her letter to the Daguerreian Association, she wrote, “I am not disposed to reiterate the claim to equality of the sexes… but if the above is the case, I would simply ask if… the intricacies of the art, and its perplexities may not be overcome by the quick perceptions and patient perseverance of the female mind.” She spoke on behalf of women practitioners, and as a poet, articulated her thoughts eloquently. By addressing the Association, she sought to promote recognition and opportunities for women photographers. Despite entering photography late in life, she remained committed to the art and never married. This presentation provides an understanding of the challenges women faced in the earliest photographic technology: the daguerreotype.
Carlos G. Vertanessian is an Argentine independent scholar on the daguerreian period in Argentina. He has authored four books including Primeros Daguerrotipos en Argentina, El retrato imposible. Imagen y poder en el Río de la Plata, Retratos del Plata. Historias del daguerrotipo, and PRIMERAS. Las argentinas y la fotografía. 1840-1870. His work has been declared of national cultural interest by the National Academy of Fine Arts. He received The Daguerreian Society Fellowship Award “for the advancement of scholarship in the field of photo history and the willingness to share that knowledge.” He serves as a guest lecturer and writer, and is a board member of The Daguerreian Society (U.S.).