Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of an African American girl caregiver, possibly an enslaved girl, seated on a wooden chair with spindles. Sitter has short hair and is attired in a long-sleeved dress made of patterned fabric with small checks and an apron with white polka dots. She holds a white girl on her lap (probably her charge), with her right hand on the girl’s chest and her left hand on the left side of the girl’s head. Their heads press together side-by-side. The blond-haired, white girl, attired in a necklace, a short-sleeved, dark-colored, checked dress with a white petticoat, stockings, and black shoes, faces the viewer and smiles. Her cheeks are tinted pink., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic medium and attire of the sitters., Leather miniature case embossed with oval motif, contains nonpareil mat, and is missing front cover., Gift of Mrs. A. Douglas Oliver, 1977., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date
[ca. 1860]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - unidentified [8326.F.17]
Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of an African American girl seated on a chair with an ornate, wooden back. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, crimped, and tied in pig tails. She is attired in a dark-colored, short-sleeved dress with white lace decorating the cuffs. She clasps her hands together slightly and rests them at her waist. Her cheeks are tinted pink. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Pad: Faded red velvet with fleur de lis in center surrounded by scrolls., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. Geometric design with a six pointed star within a shield flanked by banners. Same design on verso., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24., Reproduced on cover and on page 44 of Julie Winch's The Elite of our people (University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000)., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date
[ca. 1855-ca. 1860]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.9]
