cabinet photograph

William Gill

Summary

Full length portrait of a seated woman with an infant and a small girl. Family portrait. The woman has a short wavy fringe and wears her hair in a chignon. She is wearing a silk dress with a fitted bodice and velvet and silk panelled skirt. Her bodice fastens centre front with buttons to a high round neck with a white standing collar underneath. Her bodice is trimmed with velvet down the centre front and has full length narrow sleeves with velvet trim and white cuffs. The infant in her arms is wearing a short sleeved knee length dress with lace trim and contrasting ribbon round the waist, the sleeve heads are trimmed with the same ribbon made up into bows. The little girl is standing beside the woman holding her arm, she has a fringe and shoulder length hair. She is wearing a knitted jersey and a velvet knee length skirt and a wide velvet collar with a silk ribbon neck tie tied in a bow. The little girl wears short stockings and patent leather shoes with ankle straps. Painted studio backdrop of interior with plant pot. Written on reverse in pen 'Mary Cardiwall / age 3 years and 4 months / ??llan Cardiwall / age 1 year and 2 months / May 1888'