Mathew Brady

Mathew Brady

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"Brady of Broadway," "Master of Photography," and "Sad little man," were all nicknames for a famous man that took pictures of the American Civil War. Mathew was born around 1823 in Warren Country, New Jersey. He was the youngest of five children and worked on his family farm as a kid. As Brady became a teenager he was diagnosed with an eyesight problem. When he turned 16 he moved to New York City with his friend William Page who was an artist. In New York City he worked as a department store clerk and as a jewelers helper. In 1844 Mathew opened his own studio in New York City, winning two prizes in 1845 in the dagurreotype competition made everything even better, and in the late 1840's was already had a reputation of rich, famous, and excellence. During this time alot of well-known people came to get there pictures done by him. Brady in 1851 published his first book of photographs named, "Gallery of Illustrious Americans," which sold for 15 dollars a copy. He thought he was doing great and knew enough things to open a second studio in 1853 in New York City, and in the late 1850's started a third studio in located in Washington named, "The National Photographic Art Gallery." Ahead of the American Civil War started, soilders came to get there pictures taken before they left for war. During the war, Brady hired teams to take the pictures, but made sure he got the credit for them all. Mathew produced mostly all of the famous photographs of that war, which consisted of sprawled bodies of men, horses, and dogs, crumbled houses, barns, and fences, wrecked wagons, and unmanned cannons. He married Julia Handy who was a daughter of a Maryland lawyer. In the 1860's there started to be financial problems with his studios. 1868 he was forced to declare bankruptcy but in 1875 Brady recieved a financil boost because the U.S.A. purchased many photos from the American Civiil War. But then finally in 1881 closed the studios because he was having health problems and because of his financil difficulties. His wife ended up dieing in 1887, which caused him to move to NY and live in a small appartment. Mathew was hospitalized in 1895 with kidney problems, and finally died on January 15th 1896. He ended up being buried in the Arlington National Cemetery. Brady has been remembered by him taking the picture of Lincoln that is on the five dollare bill. One of Mathew Bradys famous quotes was, "The camera is the eye of history... you must never make bad pictures!"