The Lion Collection ascribes this portrait to E. F. Hunt, Camden, NJ, but this seems too early for a Camden photo. A notebook of Whitman’s dated between 1869 and 1871 contains notes for a poem about a photograph he refers to as "Tarisse's head," and in Whitman's 1867–1875 address notebook, he records a "Mr. Leybold J. C. Tarisse 424 Penn av. bet 4th & 6th sts." In an 1869 Washington Chronicle article, Whitman, describing the best photographs of himself, noted that "Mssrs. Seybold & Tarisse, on the Avenue, below Sixth, have a good head, just taken, very strong in shade and light." The notes for the poem suggest this might be the portrait being described: "From Shadows, deep & dark I peer Out." The lines in this MS poem could also refer to "Walt Whitman by William Kurtz?, ca. late 1860s" or "Walt Whitman by William Kurtz?, ca. 1867–1870"; William Kurtz was a master of shadow in his portraits, which gained a reputation of being in the "Rembrandt style." On the reverse of a print in the Kendall Reed collection, Horace Traubel, who did not care for this photo, wrote that he "always objected to sending out these pictures because the photographer had immodestly painted the cheeks." Whitman disapproved of retouching negatives or prints, since the "photograph has this advantage: it lets nature have its way" (Horace Traubel, With Walt Whitman in Camden, Sunday, February 10, 1889).
For more information on J. C. Tarisse, see "Notes on Whitman's Photographers."
Photographer: Tarisse, J. C.
Date: ca. 1869
Technique: photograph
Subject: Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892
Creator of master digital image: Oscar Lion Collection, New York Public Library
Rights: Public Domain. This image may be reproduced without permission.
Work Type: digital image
Date: ca. 1995–ca. 2000