Washington, DC

The newest exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery opens tomorrow, October 24, 2008. It is called “Tokens of Affection and Regard: Photographic Jewelry and Its Makers.” This exhibit includes different photographic jewelry mostly dating back to the 1800s. In particular, the exhibit focuses on the period between 1840 and 1875 when photographic jewelry flourished. The exhibit includes examples from the four main photographic processes of the time, which were daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes and paper prints. I am not sure what all those are, but I remember seeing the small daquerreotypes exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery last time I visited and they are kind of cool looking because they have a holographic quality to them. The exhibit also includes photos of some of the famous American photographers that made photographic jewelry. The exhibit is expected to remain on display until June 21, 2009.