Denman, Isabel Grigsby St. John (1837-1917)(2 of 2)
/Isaiah West Taber’s Portrait Photograph of Isabelle Grigsby St. John Denman
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
Photographer: Isaiah West Taber (1830-1912). Taber opened his first photography studio in 1854 in Syracuse, New York. In 1864 he moved to California and worked at the Bradley and Rulofson studio at 429 Montgomery Street in San Francisco until 1873. By the end of the decade, Taber was creating portraits at his own studio at 8 Montgomery Street in San Francisco. He continued to produce portraits at his new studio location at 121 Post Street between 1893 and 1906. His studio and all its contents were destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Isaiah West Taber: A Photographic Legacy, introduction by Gary F. Kurtz, Windgate Press, Sausalito, California, 2004, Appendix A: Portraits by Taber .
Photographic Studio: Taber Studio, 8 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, California.
THE SITTER:
Name: Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman
Description: This is a boudoir-sized cabinet card of Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman in her middle age. Her dark hair is parted down the middle, slightly waved, and pulled back. She wears a black, front-buttoned dress with an elaborate black lace jabot and underlying black ribbon. Pinned at her neck is a large cameo and in her right ear can be seen a matching earring.
Biographical Note: Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman was a long-time member of St. John’s Episcopal Church’s Women’s Auxiliary and a member of the Antietam Relief Corps and the Easter Star. Isabel lived at 312 6th Street in Petaluma.
Family Affiliation: Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman was married to Adin Cady St. John (1822-1876) and together they had four children one of them was Anna Belle St. John Whitney, the wife of Arthur Whitney, son of the Petaluma pioneers, Senator Albion P. Whitney and Susan Eastman Whitney. Isabel later became the second wife of the early Petaluma pioneer, Ezekiel Denman.
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: Boudoir card, approximately 13.5 x 21.5 cm
Medium: gelatin or collodion photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: This is a head-and-shoulders portrait of Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman within a vertical oval surround. Along the bottom of the card is the imprint of the San Francisco photographer, Isaiah West Tabor.
Description, back: Handwritten in pencil in cursive is, “Mrs. E. Denman”, “Isabell Grigsby St. John Denman” , and “Mother of Anna Bell St. John Whitney”.
Date: The photographer’s imprint on the bottom front edge of this card allows us to assume that this portrait was created between 1883 and 1886.
Condition: There is minor foxing on the periphery of this cabinet card.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1992-IDI-03
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.
Denman, Isabel Grigsby St. John (1837-1917) (1 of 2)
/Bradley & Rulofson Studio Portrait Photograph of Isabelle Grigsby St. John Denman
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
Photographic Studio: Bradley & Rulofson, 429 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, California. Henry William Bradley (1813-1891) opened a photographic studio in San Francisco in 1850 and in 1860 took on his partner William Rulofson (1826-1876). Their studio was considered by many to be the best in California. Bradley retired in 1878.
THE SITTER:
Name: Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman. This portrait may have been taken when Isabel was married to her first husband, when she was known as Isabel Grigsby St. John.
Description: This is a full-body, seated portrait of Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman. She sits elegantly erect in a garden setting and gazes attentively to her right. Her hair is center-parted and arranged informally atop her head. She wears a front-buttoned, form-fitting bodice and a skirt with three layers of large fringed tassels. She wears a cameo at her throat and a very long necklace which falls to below her waist.
Biographical Note: Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman was a long-time member of St. John’s Episcopal Church’s Women’s Auxiliary and a member of the Antietam Relief Corps and the Easter Star. Isabel lived at 312 6th Street in Petaluma.
Family Affiliation: Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman was married to Adin Cady St. John (1822-1876) and together they had four children one of them was Anna Belle St. John Whitney, the wife of Arthur Whitney, son of the Petaluma pioneers, Senator Albion P. Whitney and Susan Eastman Whitney. Isabel later became the second wife of the early Petaluma pioneer, Ezekiel Denman.
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: cabinet card, approximately 10.75 x 16.5 cm
Medium: gelatin or collodion photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: This portrait was staged to appear as though it was taken out-of-doors. On the left edge of the composition is live foliage which is possibly cut ivy, and behind the sitter is a painted backdrop depicting lush flora.
Description, back: The elaborate imprint of the Bradley & Rulofson, San Francisco studio appears on the center of the back of this cabinet card. Handwritten in script at the bottom appears, “Grandmother Denman” , “Isabel Grigsby St. John Denman”, and “Mother of Anna Belle St. John Whitney”.
Date: undated
Condition: With the exception of peripheral minor foxing, this cabinet card is in good condition.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1992-IDI-01
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.