Unidentified woman, Civil War period, Wenderoth and Taylor studio, Pennsylvania. CDV. About 1860-1865.
Note typical features of Civil War era women's fashions: the contrasting collar (easily removed for laundering or replacement), the wide sleeves and folds on the bodice lending a greater sense of width at the shoulders and bustline, the wide hoop skirt, emphasizing width at the bottom, the gathers from the bodice and skirt into a narrow waist, which is emphasized by the contrasting width of the sleeves at just that point. The center part in her hair and the simple flat hairstyle also adds the dimension of width, emphasizing the width of her face. It was also typical of photographs of the time for subjects to have their lips tightly closed, often to conceal their poor teeth. Standing supported by the chair would have helped the subject remain still for the long exposure time required by the cameras of the day.
View the detail of the sleeve and bodice to see more clearly the ruffles on the edge of the sleeve which apparently match the ruffles on the ends of the sleeves and down the center of the bodice
See detail of ruffles on sleeve and front
Images
from an original CDV, circa 1860s.
Photographer: Wenderoth and Taylor.
Images © Jone Lewis 2001.
See detail of ruffles on sleeve and front
Reverse:
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