THE DAGUERREIAN ANNUAL
1996
"IT WAS I WHO TOOK
THE FIRST"
An Investigation Into Professor Robert Taft's Asessment of Whether Dr. John William Draper Took the First Portrait.
by Howard R. McManus
(endnotes are integrated into the text)
A Brief Biography of John William Draper
and a Daunting Challenge:
THE FIRST PORTRAITS c. 1840
The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin
Philosophical Magazine:
THE FIRST PORTRAITS c. 1847-55
Challenged by Sir David Brewster & "William Ross"
[ John Johnson ]:
THE FIRST PORTRAITS c. 1858
Challenged by John Johnson (again)
at the Mechanic's Club
of the American Institute:
THE FIRST PORTRAITS c. 1863-71
Challenged by Samuel Morse:
THE FIRST PORTRAITS c. 1883
Challenged by Wolcott's Ghost
[ John Johnson (again) ]
versus C.E. West
THE FIRST PORTRAITS c. 1893
Confused Claims
by New York University
for the
Dorothy Catherine Draper Daguerreotype:
1938 -- Robert Taft versus Draper
TAFT'S FIRST CHALLENGE:
"The First Portrait I Took Last December" quotation.
-- How Taft missed the context of this statement
because Draper used a SEQUENCE OF LENSES
-- How it is important to clarify
WHAT qualifies as a First Portrait
1938 -- Robert Taft versus Draper
TAFT'S SECOND CHALLENGE:
Mr. Tillman & the Committee:
1938 -- Robert Taft versus Draper
TAFT'S THIRD AND FINAL CHALLENGE:
William Henry Goode's 1841 Article
and 1887 corroboration of Draper:
John William Draper's
SIMPLE REQUEST:
Appendix I:
The Investigating Committee:
Appendix II:
The First Portrait DEFINED:
Return to Article Index:
LINK
THE FIRST"