Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of a seated, African American woman. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and looped behind her ears. She is attired in a dark-colored, long-sleeved, silk dress with a white lace collar, and black lace, fingerless gloves. A broach adorns her collar. She rests her left forearm on a table covered in a patterned cloth. A book lies on the table. The sitter’s left hand rests on her lap. Her lips are tinted pink. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Pad: Dark purple velvet with a scroll design in the center., Mat: Oval., Case: Square thermoplastic. On recto is a leaf design surrounded by scrolls. This design is #3-128 reproduced in Paul K. Berg's nineteenth century photographic cases and wall frames (Huntington Beach, Ca. 92647: Huntington Valley Press, 1995.) The design on the verso is a bunch of grapes, #2-25 in Berg's book., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24.
Date
[ca. 1850-ca. 1860]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos -Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.16]
Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of a seated, African American woman. Sitter has long, dark hair, parted in the middle, and looped behind her ears. She is attired in a dark-colored, long-sleeved, silk dress with a white lace collar, and black lace fingerless gloves. A broach adorns her collar. She rests her left forearm on a table covered in a patterned cloth. A book lies on the table. The sitter’s left hand rests on her lap. Her lips are tinted pink. Sitter is probably a member or acquaintance of the Dickerson Family of Philadelphia., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred by sitter's attire., Pink tinting on lips., Pad: Deep purple velvet without a design., Mat: Oval., Case: Leather. Small vase of flowers in the center surrounded by ornate decorations. The"Flower Vase" design is reproduced as Plate 146 in Floyd and Marion Rinhart's American miniature case art (Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969.) Geometric design on verso., The die-engraver's name is below the design in reverse, and properly reads A[nthony] C. Paquet., Gift of Mary P. Dunn, 1993., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1993, p. 17-24., Reproduced on page 45 of Julie Winch's The Elite of our people (University Park: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000), Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date
[ca. 1850]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Cased photos - Dickerson Family Collection [P.9427.11]
