Here's another portrait (watercolor), three-quarters view. This image was from an earlier edition of The E-Sylum.

My thanks to Messrs Alexander, Pollack and Travis for their suggestions as to the identity of the large electrotype portrait, which provided a consensus in favour of Jefferson Davis.

A number of facial characteristics, such as the distinctive nose, high cheekbones, firmness of chin and style of hair, not to mention the distinctive form of beard, do indeed point to Jefferson Davis, and a more youthful portrait, as David Alexander suggested. The sitter looks to be somewhere in his forties, or at a stretch early fifties, placing the manufacture of the electrotype no later than the mid-1850s.

One cannot be absolutely certain about the portrait being that of Davis, but the many different images of the man provide the luxury of comparison and on which those distinctive characteristics appear to be common denominators. Furthermore, for someone whose portrait was widely reproduced, and in different media, it is no surprise that a new or different image of the man should come to light; as indeed occurs from time to time with those of the Duke of Wellington (1769-1852).

The ascendancy of Jefferson Davis coincides with the development of the electrotype portrait - as indeed it does with another new medium, the daguerreotype - with the invention of electroplating seemingly attributed to various people and nationalities. Whatever the truth of the matter, this electrotype portrait (which has a diameter of 240 mm. and a depth of 25 mm.) demonstrates considerable technical skill and leads one to think that other such portraits by the same, as-yet unknown, hand might exist, and on which some clue as to artist, manufactory or location might emerge.