Tinted studio portrait of a young woman holding a flower. Deniliquin, New South Wales Riverina, circa 1877.

Albumen print photograph with hand colouring, carte de visite format, 100 x 63 mm (mount); verso imprinted ‘Ross & Co.’s Royal Studio of Arts, Cressy Street, Deniliquin’, surmounted by the British coat if arms; the print has a couple of tiny marks, but is otherwise in very good condition; the mount is clean.

The following notice was published in The Pastoral Times (South Deniliquin), 10 November 1877:

‘PRELIMINARY NOTICE. MESSRS ROSS and Co., Photographers, will open their Royal Studio of Arts at an early date, next Mr. Hatch’s Deniliquin Restaurant. Artistic Photographs Guaranteed.’

We believe this subtly tinted carte de visite portrait of an unidentified young woman (possibly an expectant mother?) was taken around the time the studio opened, as the pencilled number of the negative appears to be ‘2’. This date fits perfectly with the sitter’s dress and hairstyle – not to mention the fact that she has brought her with her a summer hat, decorated with flowers, which sits on the table by her right hand. She is wearing a ring on the fourth finger of each hand.