My Namesake | Why Prints

The framed print of a family member you have never met but may be named after. Who was he? 

The gentleman in this portrait is my grandfather… I think. We never met and I am kind of fascinated by that. Here I have images of him and don’t know anything about him other than I carry his namesake. What was he like? How like him am I?

The familial connection is strong. I can see my dad and his sister. His stature resembles other photos of my father at a young age. I couldn’t tell you how old he was or what he was doing in this image. But I would guess maybe 10 or 12 years old maybe a Sunday before church or another somewhat formal even where a photo might be warranted. I find my mind is making up stories about this image and the person in it. Especially since carry the same name.

The discolored glass from years in a smoker’s house and modest frame and hang wire leads me to believe it was hung on the wall. The prized portraits back then, and nowadays, went on the wall. Whose wall did it hang on?

I think I might try and clean the glass and frame to allow for the image to come through more clearly. I am really enjoying discovering images from long ago that has been in our family for generations. That I think is one of the beautiful things about prints like this. Once created they can withstand lifetimes. What are your family’s prized prints?