DARK DRESSES. The gal who stood next to her companion, while gently resting her wrist on one shoulder, had a large bruise on her swollen cheek and a smaller one on her forehead. Neither woman appeared to have been in a happy frame of mine. I wonder if their clothing and demeanors might suggest that they were in mourning after the loss of a loved one. Or, the costumes simply might have been a popular fashion statement when they were taken circa 1847. The subjects both looked directly into the lens. The seated friend remained motionless while the second female might have moved her head slightly. Explosive depth is readily apparent when their leather case, with an adequately repaired spine is first opened. Those mold mites and the mat scrapes aren?t so visible. The contrast and lighting were both masterfully presented in the resealed quarter plate image.
