Summary

Cased daguerreotype portrait of a man and woman, James Robert Howard & Hortense Eliza Howard, circa 1856. It was donated to Museums Victoria in 1941 by the two Misses Howard.

Description of Content

Portrait of man and woman in formal attire. Man stands with right hand resting at hip and left hand positioned on right shoulder of woman revealing the metal backing of the chair he sits on. Man wears coat, waistcoat and bow tie. Woman wears high lace collared shirt fasted with a brooch, belt-fastened bodice and skirt. A long chain appears around woman's neck.

Physical Description

Daguerreotype photograph under a gilt scalloped mount and glass with decorative gilt framing on top of glass. Gilt colouring added to woman's brooch and long chain around woman's neck. Encased in folding brown leather case fastened with a pressed button to open; case hinging previously detached, exists in two separate pieces. Case has decorative botanical motifs embossed with gilt border front and back. Gilt border continues to edges on interior. Red velvet lining opposite the image also carries botanical motif in embossing.

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