J. A. Pugh

James Adolphus Pugh (July 3, 1833 – January 22, 1887) was an American photographer, based in Macon, Georgia, at the time of the Civil War.^[1] Pugh trained with and eventually took over the studio of R. L. Wood.^[2] His studio specialized in providing photographs of soldiers going to war.^[3] His studio was called Pugh's Photograph and Fine Art Gallery and printed ambrotype, tintype and daguerreotype photographs.^[4]

James Adolphus Pugh
Self portrait albumen print of Pugh in his book Leaves of a Wanderer
Born	(1833-07-03)July 3, 1833
Died	January 22, 1887(1887-01-22) (aged 53)

Pugh sailed to Europe in 1867 in order to attend the International Exposition and wrote a book about his European travels. In it, he spoke of how he "[held] it to be a duty every man owes to his family, to have both his and their likenesses taken at least once a year."^[5] His studio featured sinks with running water to make sure his prints had as much of the salts washed off of them as possible.^[5]: 58 In addition, he featured scenery backdrops painted by artists in New York City and an art gallery of photographs and paintings in his studio.^[6] Later in his career Pugh took up painting himself, creating life sized portraits of people from ambrotypes he'd taken of them.^[7]

In 1873, he won Best Photograph, Best Photograph in Oil, Best Photograph in Pastel, and Best Collection of Photographs at the Georgia State Fair.^[8]

Personal life

Pugh was born in 1833, one of twelve children of Jesse and Nancy Reece Pugh. His brother David worked with him at his business.^[9]