C. 1860's Identified Enlisted Man Spent 9 Months in Libby Prison Photo CIVIL WAR

  

PHOTOGRAPHER : James Irving (see bio below). SIZE : Board measures 4.25" x 6.5", and mounted photo measures 4" x 5.5". James Irving was born on November 24, 1818, in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. He immigrated to the United States and established himself as a photographer in Troy, New York. He was active primarily from the 1850s through the 1880s, a period during which photography was rapidly evolving from daguerreotypes to more advanced techniques.

Irving became known for his portraiture and documentary photography, with a particular focus on religious communities. Around 1868, he began creating stereographic views of the Shaker communities in Watervliet and Mount Lebanon, New York. These images often depicted Shaker men and women in structured, outdoor scenes that were carefully posed.

Irving's work was distinctive for its clarity, composition, and respectful representation of the Shaker lifestyle. Irving was known for his thoroughness and attention to detail. He frequently produced multiple images of the same subject, printing several variations before selecting a final version, if at all.

This methodical approach has left a valuable photographic archive that offers insights into 19th-century religious life and American society. He continued working as a photographer until the late 19th century. James Irving died on May 3, 1901, in Troy, New York, and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery. His legacy lives on through collections of his work that document a unique period in American cultural and photographic history.