carte-de-visite photograph

M Bowness 1834 - 1894

Summary

Half-length studio portrait of a seated woman against a plain background. The woman is turned to face the left of the scene and she is seated on a chaise longue the decorated scrolled end of which she rests her right arm against. The woman's hair is ornately arranged in a series of five curled loops that frame her face on either side of a centre parting.She is wearing a close-fitting black hat which form a point at the front and is decorated with a fringe of pearls and paler coloured gathered ribbon. A train of black ribbon falls from the hat down her back. She is wearing a white blouse with a gathered stand up collar and cuffs visible beneath a black velvet paletot trimmed with piping and tassles at the shoulders, cuffs and edging. The woman is also wearing a pale coloured striped skirt. The woman clasps her hands in front of her.