Portrait of a Telegrapher Boy

American 19th Century

National Gallery of Art

This sepia-toned photograph shows a young boy seated at a wooden table. He has pale skin, short, light-colored hair, and wears a textured jacket over a light-colored shirt and a tie. He is focused on an object in front of him, which appears to be a piece of telegraph equipment on the round table. Next to it is a sheet of paper. The background is plain with some visible scratches and marks, suggesting wear.