Young Man near Wicker Chair

Photograph

-

The Recorded Image Project

Name/Title

Young Man near Wicker Chair

Entry/Object ID

RE-PH-2026-0057

Description

Outdoor full-length portrait of a young man posed beside a woven wicker chair. The image appears oriented upside down as mounted or scanned, either intentionally or due to later handling. The sitter wears a dark jacket, light waistcoat, white shirt, and dark trousers. His posture is relaxed, with one hand resting at his side and the other raised slightly, possibly mid-gesture. The background appears to be an exterior landscape, faintly visible behind the subject, rather than a painted studio backdrop—an uncommon choice for cabinet card portraiture. The mount is dark with rounded corners; the upper edge shows a printed decorative studio mark that is partially cut or worn.

Photograph Details

Type of Photograph

Cabinet Card

Category

1890's, 1900's, Early Edwardian, Late Victorian, man, Mustache

Made/Created

Studio

Lies'

Date made

circa 1890 - circa 1905

Time Period

Victorian

Place

* Untyped Place

Pennsylvania

Continent

North America

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

Date Examined

Feb 8, 2026

Notes

Fair. Significant surface wear, abrasions, and scratching present across the image field. Edge wear and losses to the mount corners, particularly the lower right (as oriented). Toning and fading consistent with age and outdoor exposure or handling. Despite condition issues, the subject remains legible and the unusual composition is intact.

General Notes

Note Type

Description

Note

This cabinet card portrait departs from conventional late-19th-century studio photography through its outdoor setting and unconventional presentation. The sitter’s relaxed posture and the presence of a wicker chair suggest a more informal approach to portrait-making, blurring the boundary between studio and vernacular photography. The image’s inverted orientation further disrupts traditional viewing expectations, inviting questions about photographic intent, handling, and display. As an object, the photograph offers insight into the experimental edges of cabinet card production and the varied ways photographs were produced, mounted, and preserved.

Create Date

February 8, 2026