This delightful circa-1890s cabinet card features a young Victorian girl posing beside her dark-coated pet dog. The dog sits obediently upon a tall wooden chair while the girl stands beside it, apparently resting one hand behind or against the chair. The girl wears a long, light-colored dress with a high ruffled neckline, full sleeves and lace-trimmed shoulders. Her hair is arranged in long curls secured with several small bows. She looks directly toward the photographer with a wonderfully natural expression. Her bright eyes and tightly controlled smile make it appear that she is trying to remain serious while holding back a laugh. That hint of suppressed amusement gives the portrait considerably more warmth and personality than the typically solemn Victorian studio photograph. The dog, possibly a terrier-type mixed breed, looks equally attentive as it faces the camera from its elevated position. The photographer may have placed the dog on the chair to bring its face closer to the child’s height and produce a more balanced composition. The mount is especially attractive and somewhat unusual. Rather than a plain or simply ruled border, it has a wide, continuous floral border composed of repeating daisy-like blossoms and small leaves. A narrow inner line further frames the photograph. This decorative treatment gives the cabinet card an almost picture-frame appearance. The photographer is unidentified, and the reverse is blank. SOLD
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
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