I've not a clue where to start with this glass portrait. I found it amongst my English Grandmother's possessions and would love to know about it.
http://i.imgur.com/oIy17MM.jpg
There are no family left, but would anyone be able to age this? Or even give me some info about these kinds of portraits.
I'm assuming it's a family member but could be an iconic figure of the time? No writing anywhere on it.
Thank you.
It looks like an opalotype, a photographic positive on milk glass, often seen with hand tinting. I want to say it's probably from closer to the end of the 19th century, based on the hair and clothes? But it's harder to date portraits of men by their fashion because it didn't change as quickly or dramatically as women's did. He looks like a pretty well-to-do chap!
Well, I can tell you one thing about it right now -- if you like this picture it needs to go to a conservator to get that (mumbled archivist swearwords) scotch tape off of it!
Okay, glass portrait you say? Because it looks like a classic hand-painted photograph from 1900 or so, but is it printed on glass?
/u/Caffarelli showed me this thread, and I felt I needed to give my input.
Since you don't have a date, and since /u/Gentle_Reader has already given his best guess, I have to be in violent agreement with him. The clothing style is reminiscent of the 19th century, and the cravat (?) is decorative enough to not be mid-century, but fashion isn't my strong suit.
Anyway, most of what I say here is already what Gentle has said, so it's mostly just reiteration and a different perspective, if anything. It's hand-tinted for sure, color photographs were definitely printed on plates, too, but they weren't anywhere near this kind of de-saturated quality. It was easy enough to hand-paint clothes as they were simple hues, but skin is a very difficult subject matter when doing hand-tinting. The writing on the back is probably just archival, or possibly a name - either photographer or subject itself; I can't quite make it out either.
I don't think he's anyone iconic. I certainly don't recognize him (He bears a bit of a resemblance with Stalin, if I can say so without offending), and it's doubtful your family would end up with someones prestigious glass plate without being related to him/her.
My best guess is 1880-90s, possibly even early 20th century, but that's a bit of a far stretch in my opinion (Again, no fashion expert!). It's hand tinted for sure, you can tell by the desaturated skin colors but 'lively' clothing colors, and the odd shadows and edges. It's, as Gentle_Reader said as well, an opalotype. They were typically offered together with hand-tinting, which would explain that aspect.
