Her gaze is direct
with posture relaxed
and her violin at rest.
with posture relaxed
and her violin at rest.
This girl's eyes are cast upward
with arms at ease
yet cradling her violin .
with arms at ease
yet cradling her violin .
This young woman
holds her violin her shoulder
with bow arm ready to play,
but her head is up as if watching
for the conductor's next beat.
holds her violin her shoulder
with bow arm ready to play,
but her head is up as if watching
for the conductor's next beat.
This young lady looks down
as if gratefully acknowledging her audience.
Her instrument is tucked under one arm
as her fingers touch the strings.
as if gratefully acknowledging her audience.
Her instrument is tucked under one arm
as her fingers touch the strings.
* * *
The first young woman is dressed in a white gown with tiered skirts and sleeves trimmed with a colored lace. She is seated in an ornate rattan wicker chair placed in a vaguely oriental style set framed by a Persian carpet, an embroidered overstuffed pillow, an ornamental palm on a turned wood table, and two large Chinese urns. The photographer's name was Ward of Taunton, Massachusetts and his cabinet card dates to about 1900-1905.
* * *
The second girl is also from Massachusetts. Her white or light colored gown has a more discrete fashion almost a classic Grecian style with just a bit of ruffles around the collar. She stands against a featureless background with a misty foreground that gives her an angelic look. The photographer was Elmer Chickering of 21 West St. Boston, and her photo was likely early 1890s. On the back of this cabinet card is written a name which is not entirely clear.
Rossi Garund (?)
Salem
Salem
* * *
The location of the third young woman is unknown as the photographer left no imprint. Her dress is white with quite a lot of gauzy material ruffled in the shoulders and sleeves. Like the first violinist she is seated in a rattan wicker chair with a painted backdrop. My guess is that her photo was taken in the early 1900s
* * *
The last young lady is not quite seated but casually perched on the arm of a heavy carved wood and upholstered chair. Her foot is atop a small hassock and beside her is a table supported by an impressive carved elephant. Her gown is white or possibly a light pastel color with a higher laced collar and longer sleeves. She has a dark ribbon tied around her neck. Her instrument appears thicker than a violin so I believe it is a viola, the alto voice in the string family. The photographer was Walter E. Chickering of 476 Washington St., cor(ner) of Avon, Boston, who took pains to distance himself from Elmer Chickering who operated a studio at the same time in Boston. This cabinet card is late 1880s to early 1890s I think.
This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday
click the link for more wicker.
click the link for more wicker.
6 comments:
These are lovely! The Ward photo is especially so, very clear and sharp. I wonder about the Chickerings - Brothers? Competitors? Feud?
lovely violins. Like them all.
have a great day
What lovely young women to have posed with their violins, and viola. They look somewhat at ease, though not quite to the extent of our prompt photo. I'm waiting to see if anyone managed to find photos like that! But it's more fun when we stray a bit I think.
They all look so graceful with their violins.
Lovely photographs of lovely young women looking calm and relaxed with their instruments. I'm afraid I wouldn't have been so accommodating had I been one of them. Not that a photographer would have been amused by, or allowed such a pose, but I'd rather have posed with the bow in my teeth or something. But that's just me. :)))
Great match for the prompt in keeping with your musical theme. Always amazed how you pull a rabbit out of your hat each week :-) My favorite is the first one -- the studio setting, her dress and expression are wonderful. And glad you enjoyed the David Rumsey map on my post this week...you're right, his collection is a great way to while away the hours.
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