Most photographed

[Warren]

May have been a topic before (but I can't find it in Trivia). Who are the three most photographed people of the 19th century? Bonus if you can put them in order (and even that is subject to debate). Of course, no googling.

[L Verge]

(09-26-2018 10:45 AM)Warren Wrote:  May have been a topic before (but I can't find it in Trivia). Who are the three most photographed people of the 19th century? Bonus if you can put them in order (and even that is subject to debate). Of course, no googling.

To start the ball rolling, is it safe to assume that we are looking for personalities from the 1850s-90s? American and English and maybe French?

If we are doing only Americans: Several years ago, I saw a review for a book on all the photos that were taken of Frederick Douglass, and he ranked #1. I would guess that Lincoln would be #2. I have no idea who would be #3, but with all those military generals posing and preening during the Civil War, I would bet on one of them...

[RJNorton]

I'll guess Abraham Lincoln #1, Queen Victoria #2, and Ulysses S. Grant #3.

[Warren]

(09-26-2018 12:59 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  I'll guess Abraham Lincoln #1, Queen Victoria #2, and Ulysses S. Grant #3.

Each of you has one. All three are American and each started with a daguerreotype.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Most photographed people worldwide? Or in the US? And you mean by amount of all different pics taken of the very persons in that era?

---

(I think it must be someone whose live covered first daguerreotype till the turn of the century to "seize all opportunities". This would outrule Lincoln.)

[AussieMick]

I agree with Eva in that the longest living 'personality' would have a major advantage (yes that reduces Lincoln's opportunity). And so I would have opted for Queen Victoria but Warren has said all 3 are American.

Despite his short time in front of camera, I'll say Lincoln was one.

I'll go with Ulysses S. Grant at #1 . Apart from the Civil War, the increase in use of photography when he was President would have meant a massive number of photos.

Lincoln at #2.

And (wild guess) #3 Robert E Lee

---

Having once worked in the audit field, I'd be interested to know how the figures were calculated .

[Susan Higginbotham]

I'm going to say Douglass, Lincoln, and Edwin Booth.

[L Verge]

I thought of Edwin Booth also, but mention of Grant made me remember seeing something a few years back about Keya Morgan preparing a book on Grant and his photographs taken from Mr. Morgan's great collection. It might have been in conjunction with the Ulysses S. Grant Association - anyone know if the book was ever done?

[Eva Elisabeth]

(09-26-2018 06:25 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  I'm going to say Douglass, Lincoln, and Edwin Booth.

Actor (Booth...) was my thinking, too, at least from nowadays point of view...

[RJNorton]

(09-26-2018 07:31 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I thought of Edwin Booth also, but mention of Grant made me remember seeing something a few years back about Keya Morgan preparing a book on Grant and his photographs taken from Mr. Morgan's great collection. It might have been in conjunction with the Ulysses S. Grant Association - anyone know if the book was ever done?

I believe Keya Morgan had plans for books on both Lincoln and Grant, but as far as I know neither one has yet to be published.

[Gene C]

It appears that both books may be waiting a while as Keya Morgan has some more pressing items to deal with.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1708243/news

and https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/stan-l...202908831/

Did you know Keya Morgan had also been working on a movie regarding the death of Marilyn Monroe?
http://keyamorganproductions.com/_index.php/
________________________________________________________________________________​_____

You are right Roger, his book on Lincoln does not appear to have ever been published. Note the sole Top Customer Review made 3 years ago.
https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Definitiv...eya+morgan

[L Verge]

I have only spoken to one of Mr. Morgan's assistants over the years, and he was like a pit bull protecting his master. I knew that Marilyn Monroe was one of Morgan's interests - wonder if he will buy her dress from the Taper Collection, or already owns the one that Michael Jackson reportedly slept with?

Oops - I'm behind the times. Ms. Monroe's dress from the Taper collection sold at auction in June for $50,000. Anyone know if Keya Morgan was the purchaser?

[RJNorton]

Warren, can you give another hint?

[L Verge]

(09-28-2018 04:23 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Warren, can you give another hint?

Yes, please. In my mind, I think we have established Douglass and Lincoln, but need help with the third.

[Warren]

You are all winners! It appears it is 1. Grant, 2. Douglass, 3. Lincoln. A dark horse is Custer.

The problem is different people think one of the of the top three "is the most photographed American of the 19th century". Many people who have written articles about the most photographed may be counting multiple croppings or formats of the same sitting as an individual photograph. For instance, if the photo of Mary Todd Lincoln was in the running, would the one with the ghost of Ol' Abe holding her shoulders count as a different photograph from the original? (that picture never fails to crack me up, poor Mary!).

I've seen one website that say only 126 photos of Lincoln known. I think it is more than that. Another says over 130. Grant alleged at over 300 but only the book will tell. Frederick Douglass at 160, but again, I wonder if any are essentially repeats due to cropping, etc.

Custer I count from my Custer book of photographs at 147 separate poses. A couple were added after the book was published. Custer adored a camera, and theoretically, he could surpass Lincoln. As usual, confusion abounds.