Submitted by the staff of the Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH)
In 1839, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre invented the first commercially available photographic process that would take the world by storm.
Portrait studios offering daguerreotype photography became all the rage for capturing an individual or a family, creating cherished keepsakes for years to come. Sometimes, these photographs were the only remaining physical pictorial evidence of a person. Portraiture also became widely affordable to the masses, as previous portraits were typically paintings reserved for the upper class.
Fast forward to 1874 (the height of the Victorian period), when George E. Whiten opened a photography studio in Orillia on Mississaga Street, near Front Street. From a young age, Whiten trained in photography studios around central Ontario. By the 1870s, the photography process had evolved significantly. Whiten adopted the cabinet card style of photography in his studio, a format widely used in portraiture and popular at the time. These images consisted of a thin photograph placed atop cardstock, typically measuring four by six inches.
Whiten’s photography business prospered in Orillia for 20 years, capturing the friendly likenesses of its residents. In 1895, Whiten formed a partnership with B. Frank Stewart, another popular photographer in Orillia, and worked alongside him until 1897.
During the height of portrait photography, societal ideals for pets also began to shift. For a long time, pets were expected to live outdoors, but as attitudes changed, some indoor pets gained more access to the private lives of Victorian-era people than some humans did.
The portrait shown above, from about 1880, depicts the Orillian family of Robert and Lydia Mainer. Robert Mainer was a tinsmith, merchant, inventor, fire chief, and dog dad.
It is safe to say society still loves animals, maybe even more so today. Photography has always been a staple in capturing the likenesses of ourselves, loved ones, and even pets. OMAH is holding a special Pawtraits event in partnership with the Ontario SPCA Orillia Animal Centre on Aug. 24 and 31. For $30, why not celebrate the past and capture a loving photograph with your pet that you can pass down for generations? OMAH will provide props, film, treats, and more — all you need to do is bring your pet.
Next week, we will feature another object from the OMAH collection that showcases our local history.
