“Gentleman With a Powerful Gaze and Disheveled Hair”

Lewis dowe’s Portrait Photograph of a “Gentleman with a powerful gaze and disheveled hair”

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THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:

LEWIS DOWE was born in 1838 in Hanover, New Hampshire and died in 1919 in Portland, Oregon. He arrived in Petaluma in September of 1875 and set up his photography studio in the rooms formerly occupied by photographer Hugh Anderson. Dowe worked in Petaluma as both a “view” and portrait photographer until he departed the town in March of 1882. (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

Description: This is a masterful portrait of an elderly gentleman. The photographer skillfully created the composition to direct the viewers’ focus to the gentleman’s face. His jacket, vest, and white shirt are blurred while his face is in crisp focus. The man has a bold and powerful, yet calm and benign gaze, and, although elderly, his eyes are clear and focused. The beautiful youthfulness of his eyes is made all the more striking by their contrast with his surrounding facial hair which is a wiry combination of dark and grey, and the disheveled wisps of hair at the top of his blading head.

Biographical Note:

Family Affiliation:

Bibliography:

THE PHOTOGRAPH:

Format / Size: cabinet card

Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock

Description, front: Lewis Dowe’s signature imprint appears on the bottom left of this cabinet card, and the location of his studio appears in capital letters on the right.

Description, back: The back of this cabinet card is blank or contains only its accession number.

Date: September 1875 - March 1882

Condition: This cabinet card is in good condition.

Owner:  Pete Vilmur Collection, digital copy by permission.

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.