Jeremiah Gurney (1812–1895) opened his Broadway, NY studio in 1840; in short time he was running the largest studio in the city. Fully dedicated to the art of the daguerreotype, he founded the American Daguerre Association in 1851. In the face of stiff competition from local studios, such as the one run by Mathew Brady, the caliber of his work was distinguished as “nearer to absolute perfection” than his contemporaries.

Attesting to his craftsmanship and artistry are the many accolades he received, including winning the Anthony Prize Competition in 1853. Gurney’s work can be found in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and the George Eastman Museum, Rochester.