Three individuals are depicted in the image. The central figure is a girl holding a stringed musical instrument that resembles a lute. She has mid-length wavy hair peeking out from under a cap and wears a light, long-sleeved blouse with a floral brooch and a striped skirt. To her right, another young girl with longer, slightly curly hair leans towards the central figure, wearing a dark, simple outfit. On the left, a young woman with her head tilted downwards stands next to the central girl. Her hair is styled in an updo with flowers and a ribbon. She is dressed in a velvet garment with an intricate collar and long sleeves, reminiscent of medieval attire. A plain, dark drape serves as the background for the figures.
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Three individuals are depicted in the image. The central figure is a girl holding a stringed musical instrument that resembles a lute. She has mid-length wavy hair peeking out from under a cap and wears a light, long-sleeved blouse with a floral brooch and a striped skirt. To her right, another young girl with longer, slightly curly hair leans towards the central figure, wearing a dark, simple outfit. On the left, a young woman with her head tilted downwards stands next to the central girl. Her hair is styled in an updo with flowers and a ribbon. She is dressed in a velvet garment with an intricate collar and long sleeves, reminiscent of medieval attire. A plain, dark drape serves as the background for the figures.

National Gallery of Art · Photograph

A Minstrel Group

Julia Margaret Cameron

Date
1867
Medium
albumen silver print
Dimensions
image: 35.08 x 29.21 cm (13 13/16 x 11 1/2 in.) mount: 57.15 x 46.36 cm (22 1/2 x 18 1/4 in.) mat: 71.12 x 55.88 cm (28 x 22 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Accession number
2018.7.11
Credit line
Purchased as the Gift of the Richard King Mellon Foundation
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CPH

Subjects and terms

  • genre
  • British
  • albumen silver print
  • Musical Instruments
  • Genre scene
Provenance

Erich Sommer, London; (Charles Isaacs Photographs, Inc., New York), 1994; NGA purchase, 2018.

Inscription

on verso, by unknown hand, lower right corner in graphite: The Minstrel Group We Sing a show / Contented song & knock at Paradise / Mary Ryan, Kalie & Liz Kolrow 1867 / J1016 / 5111/27

Marks

oval stamp on bottom (imprint): Registered Photograph, London, Sold by Mssrs Colnaghi, 14 Pall Mall East

NGA object ID 140117. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.