Carte-de-visite portrait of Harriet Tubman
Object Details
- Date
- 1868-1869
- Photograph by
- Benjamin F. Powelson, American, 1823 - 1885
- Subject of
- Harriet Tubman, American, 1822 - 1913
- Owned by
- Emily Howland, American, 1827 - 1929
- Description
- A carte-de-visite of Harriet Tubman seated in an interior room. She is positioned slightly turned to the right and gazes off camera. Her right hand rests on the back of a wooden chair and her left hand rests in her lap. A boldly patterned carpet covers the floor and the wall or drop behind her is a blank light color. Tubman wears a black bodice that buttons at the center front and has dropped sleeves with heavy ruching and ruffled details on the sleeves. There is a panel of lighter fabric around the yoke, with the upper neck the same dark color as the body of the bodice. A white lace collar with short tails is crossed and pinned at the front of her neck. Her hair is parted at the center and gathered at the nape of her neck. Tubman's full skirt is made from a light and dark patterned gingham check. It drapes slightly on the floor and hides her feet completely. The text "Harriet Tubman" is handwritten in graphite across the bottom of her skirt. The print is mounted on card stock and a double-lined red border is printed around the front edges of the card framing the print.
- The photograph is housed in the album 2017.30. The album page has a triple-lined, gold border framing the print. Handwritten in graphite in the lower left corner of the album page with this photograph is the text "Powelson photog. / Auburn Ny".
- Place captured
- Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, United States, North and Central America
- Topic
- African American
- Antislavery
- Freedom
- Photography
- Reconstruction, U.S. History, 1865-1877
- Slavery
- U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865
- See more items in
- National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
- Collection title
- Emily Howland Photograph Album
- Classification
- Slavery and Freedom Objects
- Photographs and Still Images
- Movement
- Abolitionist movement
- Credit Line
- Collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture shared with the Library of Congress
- Data Source
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Object number
- 2017.30.47
- Type
- cartes-de-visite
- albumen prints
- portraits
- Restrictions & Rights
- Public domain
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
- Medium
- albumen and silver on photographic paper on card mount
- Dimensions
- H x W (Image): 3 11/16 × 2 1/4 in. (9.4 × 5.7 cm)
- H x W (Image and Mount): 3 15/16 × 2 7/16 in. (10 × 6.2 cm)
- Record ID
- nmaahc_2017.30.47