Picture shows an open volume of an 1838 edition of “The Students' Magazine: Published Monthly, at the Pennsylvania Institution for the Instruction of the Blind.” The text is printed in raised-letter line type. The volume is open to an oblique view of a title page. Letters are in capitals and the text is not easily legible given the angle of the view. Part of the header is legible and reads: "STUDENTS’ MAG." Part of the opposite page with embossed type is visible. [End of description]

The Pennsylvania Institution for the Instruction of the Blind Printers: Kneass and the Sniders.

Picture shows a four-story rectangular building with many rectangular windows. The building includes two front entrances with porticos. The structure is white, and its front is lit by sunlight. Pedestrians – eight total with six men, two women and one boy – walk on the sidewalk in front of and across from the building. Small trees evenly line the sidewalk in front and to the left of the building. A dark-colored watchman’s guardhouse, shaped like a chimney, stands across the street from the building. A man with a cane, and a boy, holding his hand, walk past the guardhouse. The boy appears to be gesturing in the direction of the guardhouse and the building. Text printed below the images reads: “Lith. Of J. T. Bowen, Phila. Pennsylvania Institution for the Instruction of the Blind. Published by J.T. Bowen at his Lithographic & Print Colouring Establishment, 94, Walnut St Philada. Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1840 by J. T. Bowen in the Clerk’s Office of the Dt. Ct. for the En. Dt. of Pa.[End of description]

Visual Record of the Pennsylvania Institution for the Instruction of the Blind

Picture shows a close-up of a section of text from an 1863 playbill. Text reads from top to bottom: Part Second [next line].Overture, ---Orchestra. [next line]Comic Song,--- P. Williamson. [next line] Guitar Dnet [sic], ---Marion Brothers. Slight Skirmish: or, the Best Way to Settle It. [next line] George White and P. Williamson. [next line] Ethiopian Jig, - - - J. H. Barleur. [next line] Pathetic Ballad, - - - Billy Rose. [next line]. Seeing the Elephant, [next line] Hilfrem, Hirst and Burr. [next line] Comic Song - - - Ed Shaw [next line] Essence of Old Virginia, - - - J. H. Barluer [next line] [image of pointed finger] Black Blunders, [image of pointed finger] [next line] Geo. White and P. Williamson. [next line] Song and Dance, - - - Ed. Shaw [next line] Overture, - - - Orchestra. Text is surrounded by a rectangular-shaped border composed of two parallel black lines, one thick and one thin. [End of description]

Seeing the Elephant

Picture shows a bust-length lithographed portrait of Albert Newsam. His body is slightly angled to the viewer’s left and his gaze looks slightly to the viewer’s right. He has dark hair, parted on the left side to the viewer, and worn slightly long and swept to the sides. He also has side burns. Newsam wears a jacket with wide notched lapels that are partially in velvet and over a loose fitting vest and a white shirt. He also wears a cravat with the ends hanging loosely. [end of description]

On Visual Eavesdropping and the White Noise of History: Albert Newsam and Visual Culture in Nineteenth-Century America