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The image shows an elderly woman seated on a decorative chair. She is facing the camera with a gentle expression on her face. She is wearing a bonnet that covers her hair completely, a high-collared blouse or dress with a large bow at her neck, and long, loose-fitting sleeves. Her hands rest in her lap. The chair has a spiraled design and ornamental details typical of the 19th century. At the bottom of the image, there is text with the name “Aunt Mary” and a personal quote attributed to her.
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The image shows an elderly woman seated on a decorative chair. She is facing the camera with a gentle expression on her face. She is wearing a bonnet that covers her hair completely, a high-collared blouse or dress with a large bow at her neck, and long, loose-fitting sleeves. Her hands rest in her lap. The chair has a spiraled design and ornamental details typical of the 19th century. At the bottom of the image, there is text with the name “Aunt Mary” and a personal quote attributed to her.

National Gallery of Art · Photograph

Aunt Mary Dines

Frederick F. Gutekunst

Date
c. 1865
Medium
albumen silver print (carte-de-visite)
Dimensions
image/sheet: 8.8 × 5.9 cm (3 7/16 × 2 5/16 in.) mount: 10.3 × 6.3 cm (4 1/16 × 2 1/2 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Accession number
2023.39.68
Credit line
Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection, Purchased with support from the Ford Foundation
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CPH
Original NGA record

Subjects and terms

  • portrait
  • American
  • albumen silver print
  • Woman
  • African American
  • CDV
Provenance

Ross Kelbaugh, Marriottsville, MD; NGA purchase, 2023.

Inscription

lower center on mount printed in black ink: AUNT MARY. / "Honies, 'twill not be this poor old colored woman, but / I'll be blooming in immortal youth with pains of victory / in my hands, and a crown of dazzling glory on my head."; on verso, by Ross Kelbaugh, top right in graphite: AF34 / 12.39LHHH; center printed in black ink: F. GUTEKUNST / No. 704 & 706 Arch St. / PHILADELPHIA. / REMOVED TO / 712 ARCH St.; lower center blue two-cent tax stamp with illegible annotations in black ink

NGA object ID 227086. 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.