Medium: Cabinet Cards
Cartes de visite were replaced by larger cabinet cards in the 1880s. Still created using the albumen print process, cabinet cards are simply larger and usually include more extensive logos and information on the front and reverse side of the card to advertise the photographer. The images were large enough to be viewed across the room, where they were often displayed on a cabinet, which is likely how they got their name. For nearly three decades, cartes de visite and cabinet cards dominated the commercial portraiture industry until personal photography became commonplace.
Explore Cabinet cards in the collection
Charles Eisenmann, Untitled (Miss Annie Jones-Bearded Woman with P.T. Barnum), cabinet card, ca. 1888, 2020.1.120.
Artist Unknown, Untitled (Portrait of a Japanese Couple), cabinet card, ca. 1909, 2020.1.140.
Artist Unknown, Untitled (Portrait of Three Men), cabinet card, ca. 1900, 2021.33.1549.
Resources in the Collection
Header Images
Left
Hummer, Untitled (Portrait of Nine Women), cabinet card, ca. 1900, 2021.33.1536.
Artist Unknown, Untitled (Man with Coat Over His Shoulder), cabinet card, ca. 1900, 2020.1.127.
Artist Unknown, Untitled (Two Men, Two Boys), cabinet card, ca. 1900, L11.2022.276 (36).
Center
Artist Unknown, Untitled (Wedding Portrait), cabinet card, 2025.26.3.
Dows Portrait Studio, Untitled (Young Woman with Long Hair), cabinet card, 2020.1.114.
O. Desmarais, Right Reverend D.M. Bradley, D.D, cabinet card, 1884, 2021.33.1545.
Right
Morgan, Untitled (Woman with Three Young Children), cabinet card, ca. 1890, 2020.1.101.
Artist Unknown, Untitled (Baby), cabinet card, ca. 1900, L11.2022.276 (45).
Artist Unknown, Untitled (Two Men in Large Coats), cabinet card, ca. 1900, L11.2022.273 (29).