Title
The Music Teacher and His Wife, c. 1850s. Creator: Unidentified Photographer.
Caption
The Music Teacher and His Wife, c. 1850s. Although portrait sittings were directed by the photographer, sitters had some input in shaping their identities by choosing their pose, clothing, possessions, and sometimes backdrop. People came to the studio dressed in their finest outfits, and they often brought objects to represent their interests or occupation, such as the tuning fork held by the music teacher. Hand painting could draw attention to luxury items, as in Young Woman with Pantalettes, where her jewelry is dabbed with gold paint and the lacy cuffs of her pantalettes are enhanced with white paint. Most people had only a few photographs made during their lifetimes; therefore, they were often used to mark rites of passage such as graduation and marriage.
Credit line
Photo12/Heritage Images/Heritage Art
Reference
HRM19G13_422
Model release
NA
Property release
NA
License type
Rights managed
Available size
45,3Mb (4,8Mb) / 16,7in x 10,6in / 5000 x 3170 (300dpi)