Rufus Anson

Rufus Anson was an artist active between 1850 and 1858. The majority of the artist’s known output consists of portraits, including at least three documented photographs, suggesting a specialization in studio portraiture during the early years of the medium’s expansion.

Anson specialized in capturing both formal and domestic subjects. Known works held in museum collections include portraits such as Teenage girl with bottle curls and the unique genre study Dog Posing for Portrait in Photographer's Studio Chair. Other surviving examples of Rufus Anson prints and photography include Untitled (Portrait of a Boy and Girl) and multiple instances of Untitled (Portrait of a Seated Man).

Despite the short documented active period, Anson’s historical significance is confirmed by representation in major institutional collections. Seven works attributed to the artist are held by institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Much of the artist's output is now considered part of the public domain, allowing institutions to make museum-quality reproductions available for scholarly research and public viewing.