Nothing New

Nothing New: Archives of Affection transports viewers into a time when tintype photography was traveling around the US, allowing people to commemorate their lives in a pocket-sized image. This exhibition presents hundreds of such moments from male couples in the 1800s.

The moments that had to be concealed but have allowed their story and love to inspire us over a century later.

Their stories, names, and true relationships may not be known, but the society they lived in and the challenges they faced are known without a doubt.

Created by students under the Ringling College Gallery Department and The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center

The courtesy of the Peter Enrico and Terry Stache photo collection.

The moments that had to be concealed but have allowed their story and love to inspire us over a century later.

Their stories, names, and true relationships may not be known, but the society they lived in and the challenges they faced are known without a doubt.

Created by students under the Ringling College Gallery Department and The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center

The courtesy of the Peter Enrico and Terry Stache photo collection.

This exhibition was produced by students at Ringling College of Art and Design under the guidance of Tim Jaeger, Director of Ringling College Galleries, in collaboration with the staff of Stonewall National Monument.

Meet the Team

Lilli Jones

Marketing director

Lindelwa Ntshakala

Curatorial director

Amalie Knight-Sheen

assistant Curator

Bella Thompson

Creative director

Jack Coleman

Project manager

Lilli Jones

Marketing director

Lindelwa Ntshakala

Curatorial director

Amalie Knight-Sheen

assistant Curator

Featured
Tintypes

The couples, individuals, and groups below represent the lasting affection shared by people across time. Although little is known about them, their love for each other and their desire to capture this moment, showcase a key piece of human experience.

Take the time to understand these individuals, look for details about their personalities, and, above all, appreciate those who paved the way for these couples to live freely over a century later.

Featured
Tintypes

Take the time to understand these individuals, look for details about their personalities, and, above all, appreciate those who paved the way for these couples to live freely over a century later.

The images in the gallery are tintypes, otherwise known as ferrotypes or melainotypes. This style of photography was invented in the 1850s and was commonly used through the early 20th century.

They are produced by coating a thin piece of iron with photographic emulsion (light-sensitive coating) followed by a layer of dark lacquer or enamel. From this process, you are left with a unique positive image like those seen within the gallery.

These types of prints grew in popularity quickly due to their fast development by under the standards at the time. It only took a few minutes for someone to receive their image, and it came in an easily transportable size, which is why they became such a large part of on-the-go commercial photography.

They were used in festivals, carnivals, street markets, studios, and more. These setups allowed people of all kinds to capture some of their best moments in a way that was more accessible than ever before.

Tintype
History

Meet the Team