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The image shows an elderly woman captured from the waist up, seated in a woven chair. She is positioned facing slightly to the left, with her hands clasped together on her lap. She has a gentle expression, with visible wrinkles and fine features. Her hair is covered by a head scarf or bonnet. Her attire consists of a buttoned dress with a capelet or shawl draped over her shoulders, and she is holding a white handkerchief. The background is plain and neutral, creating an intentional focus on her figure. The image is rendered in a sepia tone.
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The image shows an elderly woman captured from the waist up, seated in a woven chair. She is positioned facing slightly to the left, with her hands clasped together on her lap. She has a gentle expression, with visible wrinkles and fine features. Her hair is covered by a head scarf or bonnet. Her attire consists of a buttoned dress with a capelet or shawl draped over her shoulders, and she is holding a white handkerchief. The background is plain and neutral, creating an intentional focus on her figure. The image is rendered in a sepia tone.

National Gallery of Art · Photograph

"Pendar, 115 Years Old"

Buell & Seaver

Date
March 1867
Medium
stereoscopic albumen silver prints
Dimensions
image/sheet (each): 7.8 × 7.4 cm (3 1/16 × 2 15/16 in.) mount: 8.6 × 17.5 cm (3 3/8 × 6 7/8 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Accession number
2023.39.199
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
  • Stereograph
Provenance

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

Inscription

along left edge of mount printed in black ink: BUELL & SEAVER, PITTSFIELD, MASS.; along right edge: Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by BUELL / & SEAVER, in the Clerk's office of the District Court of Mass.; bottom right: No. 2.---[illegible] Woman Pendar, 115 years old.; on verso, by Ross Kelbaugh, top right in graphite: 10.21.KBR / AF242A; lower center printed in black ink: The above bill of sale refers to a woman whose picture is on the reverse side of this / card, and who is now living in Pittsfield, Mass. The photograph of her was taken / March 6th, 1867, by BUELL & SEAVER, Pittsfield, Mass.

NGA object ID 227219. 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.