Victorian Young Lady

Photograph

-

The Recorded Image Project

Name/Title

Victorian Young Lady

Entry/Object ID

RE-PH-2026-0002

Description

Victorian Woman

Photograph Details

Type of Photograph

Cabinet Card

Subject

Woman

Category

Women, Young Woman, High Collar Dress, Buttoned Bodice, Serious Expression, 1900's, Photo

Made/Created

Studio

Caflisch

Date made

1890 - 1903

Time Period

19th Century

Place

Continent

North America

Notes

New York, Buffalo

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Ada R. Martin – Bellfield Mrs Thomas Kingsley Main note (darker ink, more deliberate): (Bellfield real name) Martin was step-father They came to Buffalo NY from Birmingham, England She married T. E. Kingsley of Roselawn NY about 1896 (Sept. 25) Rec. 25, 1901 became the mother of Margaret Kingsley

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Date Examined

Jan 16, 2026

General Notes

Note Type

Description

Note

The fade-out vignette into the mount is a stylistic choice popular in the late 1890s, lending a soft, almost ethereal presentation. The sitter’s attire suggests respectability and middle-class status, possibly marking a milestone (coming of age, engagement, or formal portrait commission). The absence of overt jewelry (aside from buttons) reinforces a restrained, modern aesthetic rather than overt Victorian ornamentation. Estimated age: late teens to mid-20s. Direct gaze, neutral mouth, and rigid posture suggest formality and restraint rather than warmth or sentiment.

Create Date

January 16, 2026