Occupational portraits: Workers posing with the tools of their trade, 1850-1880

This post was originally published on this site

In the mid 19 century, a variety of men had staged pictures of themselves taken at work, from artisans and clowns to engineers and preachers; they chose to have their lives represented by the day-to-day activities of their occupations. Subjects indicated their occupation or trade through the items in hand and the clothes they wore. […]