“Young Girl in a Light-Colored Dress and Flounced Apron”
/Hugh S. Anderson’s Portrait Photograph of a “Young Girl in a Light-Colored Dress and Flounced Apron”
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
HUGH S. ANDERSON was born in 1826 in Scotland and died in 1900 in San Francisco, California. He was active in Petaluma as early as January 1872, and he departed Petaluma in December 1873. His Sunbeam Gallery was located, “At the Old Stand, Opposite H. C. Taft & Co.’s”. (For additional information on this photographer and to view all portraits by him in the collection, click on his name in blue above.)
THE SITTER:
Name: Unidentified. This girl may be a sister or relative of the girl in the portrait entitled, “Young Girl in a Dark-Colored Dress and Flounced Apron”. The portraits come from the same family photograph album, and they appear to be wearing the same apron. Additionally, they sit in the same chair, strike the same pose and rest their feet on the same prop.
Description: This is an exceptional fine and representative portrait of a little girl from the 1870s. She sits formally in a fringed studio chair, her left arm on the armrest, and her right hand in her lap. She crosses her ankles and rest her feet on a stool. She holds her head stiffly erect and gazes out with a melancholic expression. Her hair has been cut one length just below her ears. It is center-parted and restrained by a hand band that terminates in a bow at the top of her head. She wears a printed dress with an elaborate neckline. Over her dress is a short, apron with a flounced hem and shoulders straps.
Biographical Note:
Family Affiliation:
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: carte de visite
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front:
Description, back: Hugh Anderson’s imprint is on the center of the back of this carte de visite. Anderson created several versions of his Petaluma imprint. An expanded, possibly later, version appears here. It is printed in red ink and includes four lines of text, each in a different font. The text is embellished above and below with a horizontally flipped, elaborate flourish.
Date: January 1872 - December 1873
Condition:
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, Schwobeda/Bloom/Taylor/DeMartin Family & Friends Album, 2022-952-01-40a
Reproduction rights: The Petaluma Museum Association makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to the digitized images here reproduced. These images are intended for personal or research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Association. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.