Clark, Maude (b. & d. dates to be determined)
/John Quincy Reed’s Portrait Photograph of Maude Clark
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
JOHN QUINCY REED was born in 1841 in Abington, Massachusetts and died in 1902 in Petaluma. He worked as a photographer in Petaluma for over 25 years, moving his studio within the community to several different locations. He arrived into Petaluma from Stockton in 1870 and continued to work as a photographer in Petaluma until at least 1898. Many of his portraits of Petaluma’s citizens are of exceptionally fine quality. (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: Maude Clark
Description: This is a particularly lovely cabinet card portrait of a toddler. Maude Clark, age 22 months, has been placed in what is actually a very elegant and charming pose. She sits on a sofa with her right arm resting on its rolled edge, and her left hand in her lap. Her torso is lightly twisted to her right, and, with legs tucked beneath her, her left shoe is exposed from beneath the hem of her dress. She is wearing a white, lace, ruffled, dress with a scalloped hem. Soft, short curls surround her face and longer, sausage, curls appear behind.
Biographical Note: “Miss Maude Clark” is briefly referred to in the social section of Petaluma newspapers 6 times between 1889 and 1900.
Family Affiliation: unidentified
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: cabinet card, approximately 10.75 x 16.5 cm
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: This cabinet card contains the portrait of a seated toddler within the perimeter of a vertical oval. The photographer’s imprint appears along the bottom edge. This portrait is in good focus with the exception of the fingers of the toddler’s left hand, her left shoe, and the bottom right edge of her dress. Although she holds her pose (most probably as instructed) her tiny fingers and toes did not comply.
Description, back: Handwritten in script in pencil along the top is, “Maude Clark was 22 months old when taken is now 5 years old.”
Date: sometime after 1874
Condition: There is foxing throughout on both the front and back. The back has several small, black, spots at the top and smudges on the left.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1978-80-22
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.