Notes
This is a photograph of Elizabeth “Lizzie” Watkins Henry Lyons (1855–1920), a great-granddaughter of Patrick Henry. She is descended from her grandfather, John Henry (1769–1868), and her father, William Wirt Henry (1831–1900). Elizabeth was born in 1855 in Charlotte County, Virginia. She married Colonel James Lyons (1857–1913) in 1879 and lived in Richmond, Virginia until 1898. Based on her youthful appearance, this photograph is probably dated between 1880 and 1890. She would have been between 25 and 35 years old.
The photograph was taken in a studio, as evidenced by the pose and the props used in the background. However, no identifiable markings on the photo or frame indicate the photographer, location, or date.
Notably, the hairstyle and fashion choices are unusual and artistic for a late 19th-century photograph. The hair is worn long and loose, and the subject is dressed in a plain dark gown with a plain veil. During this period, women’s fashion typically included long hair styled in updos, large hats, and extravagant dress. Long hair would not traditionally be worn down, especially after marriage. These stylistic choices suggest a deliberate departure from convention, aligning with the principles of the Pictorialist movement.
Pictorialism aimed to elevate photography to fine art using lighting, symbolism, and composition to convey a deeper meaning. The plain attire, veil, and flowing hair may reflect themes of artistic expression, purity, femininity, or religious symbolism common in Pictorialist works. The image is reminiscent of the Virgin Mary and other religious depictions of the period. Similar photographs include “Mary” and “Odalisque” by Charles Isaac Berg, “The Manger” by Gertrude Kasebier, “The Seven Words” by F. Holland Day, several works by Alfred Stieglitz and other notable photographers in the publications, Camera Notes (1897–1903), and Camera Works (1903–1917).
This photograph belonged to Rosalie Ferguson Fulwider (1918–2013), a Patrick Henry descendent, and was given to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (now Preservation Virginia) in 1976. Rosalie was a curator for Preservation Virginia. Rosalie Ferguson Fulwider descends from Patrick Henry by his son, John Henry (1769–1868), John’s daughter, Emma Cabell Henry Ferguson (1838–1905), her son, James Boswell Ferguson IV (1861–1914), and his son, James Boswell Ferguson V (1887–1945). This photograph was transferred from the collection of Preservation Virginia to PHMF on September 18, 2024.