The Mathew Brady Memorial

The Mathew Brady Memorial. . , Mathew Brady was one of the most outstanding early photographers in American history, with his work from 1844 to 1895. He is credited today as the father of photojournalism. This memorial was erected to honor him and his photography, as well his other attributes and accomplishments., From the 1840's, through the 1860's Civil War, and for decades thereafter, he photographed the rich and famous; politicians and soldiers; and everyday men and women --- across the races. His telling images impacted society; they still resonate with us. The bronzes of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass standing here are based on his images., He was an entrepreneur, photo-innovator, and leader --- enabling him to develop teams of assistants, in the field and gallery, including Alexander Gardner, Timothy O'Sullivan, George Barnard, and Anthony Berger., These employees, in his New York and Washington galleries, and field teams, often performed actual camera operation, due to his deteriorating eyesight. But he was always a strong supervisor and posing artist., His brand, "Photo by Brady", in both America and Europe, was established by his ability to secure sittings, capture the essence of the subject matter, innovate as photo-technologies changed -- and manage people., Mathew Brady was a risk-taker -- from gallery financing to battlefields with cannons. He and his team jeopardized life and limb to capture the horror of Civil War brutality and death, and then bring it into public view. In the actual self-portrait of him standing opposite you, next to the bronze of his camera, he wears the sword given him for self protection, at the devastating 1861 Battle of Manassas --- occurring only 30 miles from this spot., Mathew is buried in the Handy family plot close to us here. Next to him is his lifelong loving wife, Julia Handy. Also here is Levin Handy, his nephew, who learned from and worked for Mathew for decades. Levin also became very successful, later photographing the Library of Congress construction. When Mathew was in extreme financial hardship in later years, Levin financed and housed Mathew and Julia, and was even a Brady bankruptcy creditor. Levin eventually inherited the Brady Photography business., In late 1895, Mathew was hit by a streetcar in New York; he died January 16, 1896. Levin had him interred here in the Handy family site next to Julia., As you view these memorial images (with most taken by Mathew), and recreated here in fired porcelain, consider his colossal task of successfully preserving them, as well as tens of thousands of other images that he saved. Mathew's lifetime of work affords us a riveting picture of our national heritage., Our team is honored to be buried in this memorial, close to Mathew: , Adriana, Chitranee, Danny, Diana, Grant, Larry, Robert, and Suzanne.,

"From the first, I regarded myself as under obligation to my country to preserve the faces of its historic men and mothers.", "No one will ever know what I went through to secure those negatives. It changed the whole course of my life.", "My greatest aim has been to advance the art of photography, and to make it what I think I have, a great and truthful medium of history.", "Never delay the important business of getting your portrait; you cannot tell how soon it may be too late."