Figure010

Citation

Unknown Photographer. “Drummer and Fiddler.” circa 1850. Greg French Collection. Mirror of Race, 11 Feb. 2021, mirrorofrace.bc.edu/items/show/242. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.

Title

Drummer and Fiddler

Subject

Unknown

Creator

Unknown Photographer

Date

circa 1850

Type

studio portrait

Identifier

Figure010

Rights Holder

Greg French Collection

Original Format

daguerreotype

Physical Dimensions

Sixth Plate (2.75 x 3.25 inches)

Factual Commentary

We know little about this image; however, the man on the left is holding a bodhram, a traditional Irish drum. It is quite possible that these two are Irish immigrants. The style of the image case and the photograph, a daguerreotype, suggest a date of around 1850, and so they may also be refugees from the great Potato Famine that raged in Ireland from 1845 to 1852.

Interpretive Commentary

The Mirror of Race is interested in exploring the question of what constitutes "Whiteness." Who counts as white, and how does this get articulated in law, in society, and visually in photographs? In the case of the Irish, there was considerable debate in the 19th century in the United States as to whether they could count as properly "white," and the Irish faced tremendous discrimination when here. We are hoping to publish essays on the issue of Whiteness and on the Irish experience and its broader meaning for race in general.

Alternative Title

Collection

Mirror of Race