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Tweetspeak Exclusive: Yet Another Emily Dickinson Daguerreotype Discovered

By Will Willingham 7 Comments

The recent discovery of a third daguerreotype of Victorian-era poet Emily Dickinson has historians scratching their heads. Long believed to be reclusive and camera-shy, Dickinson seems to paint an entirely new picture of herself, positively mugging for the paparazzi.

Until Tweetspeak staffer Tania Runyan discovered the new daguerreotype by chance at a yard sale near her Chicago home, only two likenesses were known to exist of the beloved poet and literary enigma. The second, discovered in 1995 and only recently made public, has yet to be fully validated as a true image of Dickinson while textile,  ophthalmological, and computer-aided analysis continue.

Runyan told Tweetspeak News she paid 75 cents for the portrait at the sale, a fundraiser for a local soccer team. “I brought home a box of pure miscellany, you know. Various and sundry items. I wanted the gold frame, thinking it would be good for school pictures. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Emily Dickinson in the back of my minivan — and for less than the price of an Every Day Poems subscription!”

The newly-found daguerreotype bears distinct similarities to the recently publicized image featuring likely sitters Dickinson and longtime friend Kate Scott Turner. In addition to the original, only two copies of that daguerreotype exist, one of which is currently on display in the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections.

Researchers speculate that the second and third portraits may have been taken at the same time. Dickinson is seen wearing the same outdated dress currently undergoing textile analysis with fabric samples located by the Emily Dickinson Museum. However, the most recent find features a ghost image that is believed to be that of author and contemporary poet L.L. Barkat.

Dickinson Turner Barkat

Barkat, much like Dickinson, is rarely seen in photos, most public images stopping at the shoulders. T.S. Poetry Press researchers continue their cameratology analysis through digital enhancement in the basement lab at the publisher’s New York headquarters as they attempt to verify whether the Canon Powershot SX110 seen in the ghost image is the same photographic equipment visible in similar reflective self portraits of the elusive author.

The new daguerreotype is available for viewing in the Tweetspeak Archives and Museum. Visitors are advised to call ahead for an appointment.

Emily Dickinson Daguerreotype photos by L.L. Barkat, taken at Amherst College Archives and Special Collections. Used with permission. Post by Will Willingham.

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Will Willingham
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Will Willingham
Director of Many Things; Senior Editor, Designer and Illustrator at Tweetspeak Poetry
I used to be a claims adjuster, helping people and insurance companies make sense of loss. Now, I train other folks with ladders and tape measures to go and do likewise. Sometimes, when I’m not scaling small buildings or crunching numbers with my bare hands, I read Keats upside down. My first novel is Adjustments.
Will Willingham
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Filed Under: Blog, Emily Dickinson, poetry, poetry humor, poetry news

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About Will Willingham

I used to be a claims adjuster, helping people and insurance companies make sense of loss. Now, I train other folks with ladders and tape measures to go and do likewise. Sometimes, when I’m not scaling small buildings or crunching numbers with my bare hands, I read Keats upside down. My first novel is Adjustments.

Comments

  1. Maureen Doallas says

    September 25, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    Hilarious. Well-done. Now I want to see your recipe for spiked cider, er, sweet tea, preferably in the form of an ode.

    Reply
  2. Glynn says

    September 25, 2012 at 2:49 pm

    What I want to know is, is that Emily’s fingers on the camera? Perhaps she was taking a picture of the daguerrotype, channeling a Canon Powershot SX110. Poetry is, after all, timeless.

    Reply
  3. Anne says

    December 29, 2012 at 3:15 pm

    Let’s be serious, has this been taken to the next level yet? Does anyone know of a good opthamologist who can verify if those hands belong to ED? Maybe at the same time, they can check out the lens. Oops, I’m getting mixed up.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. This Week’s Top Ten Poetic Picks | TweetSpeak Poetry says:
    September 27, 2012 at 8:01 am

    […] You might remember we reported in an earlier edition of the Top Ten on the discovery of a second portrait of Emily Dickinson. We stopped by the Amherst College Library during a brief literary tour following WordFest where the Special Collections staff graciously allowed us an after-hours viewing of the daguerreotype. Researchers in the Tweetspeak labs are currently conducting analysis on what may turn out to be yet another portrait of the reclusive Victorian-era poet. […]

    Reply
  2. This Week’s Top Ten Poetic Picks | Tweetspeak Poetry says:
    October 11, 2012 at 8:12 am

    […] been camera shy much like his cousin. You’ll remember we reported on the recent discovery of additional Emily Dickinson portraits. Well, as it turns out, a second portrait of Emmett was also discovered not long ago. Emmett Lee […]

    Reply
  3. A Pencil for Emily Dickinson | says:
    June 30, 2013 at 3:18 pm

    […] And so it is I must confess I have poked fun at Emily Dickinson. I made light of her alleged bad attitude and disdain for authority. I chuckled when her poem got workshopped. I questioned her sincerity and even made up a story about her recently discovered portrait. […]

    Reply
  4. This Week's Top Ten Poetic Picks | says:
    November 14, 2013 at 9:39 am

    […] since the day our editor Tania Runyan discovered that daguerreotype of Emily Dickinson and L.L. Barkat in her minivan, we’ve paid very close attention to any news surrounding the reclusive poet. Meaning […]

    Reply

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