It looks like he's sleeping in a railroad car, not uncommon during certain periods and circumstances during the mid 1800's to the mid 1900's. It also looks like he's using a briefcase, or a small garment bag, for his pillow. His jacket is rumpled up around his shoulder and upper arm, and his tie is laying over that. This speaks more of the depression years, and was likely a traveling salesman, who couldn't afford better transportation.
Portrait photographs and paintings of our loved ones and ancestors.
Before photos we had paintings of family members - most usually these were reserved for the well off. The era of modern photography began with the daguerreotype, in 1839. Since the advent of photogr...