Portrait of a Woman

c. 1853

James McClees, Washington L. Germon

Associated Names
James McClees

Artist, American, 1821 - 1887

Washington L. Germon

Artist, American, 1823 - 1877

The image shows a double portrait of a woman. Each likeness is set in its own oval frame within a rectangular mat. Both images appear to be of the same woman, shown from the waist up. She is seated, facing slightly to the right in the first portrait and slightly to the left in the second, with her head turned towards the camera. The woman has a rounded face with smooth skin, a straight nose, and dark eyes. Her hair is styled in large coils over her ears. She wears a dark dress with a high collar featuring an intricate white lace pattern, and holds a bouquet of flowers in her left hand on her lap. The background is plain, potentially neutral or slightly dark, and the entire photograph is encased in an ornate frame with textured edging and a yellow-gold interior.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    stereoscopic daguerreotype with applied color

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Mary and Dan Solomon

  • Dimensions

    image (visible; each): 5.7 × 4 cm (2 1/4 × 1 9/16 in.)
    mat: 8.2 × 10.5 cm (3 1/4 × 4 1/8 in.)
    case (closed): 9.5 × 12 × 1.9 cm (3 3/4 × 4 3/4 × 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2025.12.12


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Janet Lehr, East Hampton, NY; Mary and Dan Solomon, Dana Point, CA; gift to NGA, 2025.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

on brass mat, lower center embossed: McCLEES & GERMON / PHILA; on leather stereoview flap inside of case, lower center: MASCHER'S IMPROVED STEREOSCOPE / PHILADA. / MARCH 8TH 1853.; on bottom edge of case, by unknown hand, bottom left in silver ink: C127 D117 11


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