This is a vintage daguerreotype portrait of a woman. The image is heavily distressed with scratches, abrasions, and areas of loss, giving it a ghostly and ethereal quality. The woman is depicted from the chest up, facing forward. She has dark hair styled with curls around her face. Her expression is somewhat ambiguous, with a slight smile. She is wearing a dress with a low neckline, and a small floral arrangement is pinned to her chest. The daguerreotype is in a protective case, and the edges of the case are visible. The image is very dark and contrasty, with a lot of detail lost in the shadows. The overall effect is one of fragility and age.