This Day in History: 1822-05-18

Mathew Brady, one of the earliest and most famous photographers in American history, is born on this day in 1822.  Brady started one of the first photo studios in New York City in 1844 and opened a gallery featuring photos of famous Americans, including many of then-living presidents and first ladies. Brady is best known for taking over 10,000 photos of Civil War scenes and people between 1861 and 1865. The Library of Congress describes his work this way: “At the peak of his success as a portrait photographer, Brady turned his attention to the Civil War. Planning to document the war on a grand scale, he organized a corps of photographers to follow the troops in the field. Friends tried to discourage him, citing battlefield dangers and financial risks, but Brady persisted. He later said, “I felt that I had to go. A spirit in my feet said ‘Go,’ and I went.”  Although this led to serious financial problems, Brady had a great and lasting effect on the art of photography. “His war scenes demonstrated that photographs could be more than posed portraits, and his efforts represent the first instance of the comprehensive photo-documentation of a war.”