The image shows a woman seated on a cushioned sofa with an ornately patterned fabric draped over its back. The woman is turned slightly to her left, facing the camera. She has smooth, wavy hair with a middle part and distinct facial features. She is wearing a long, dark, patterned dress with a high collar and sleeves. She holds an open book with a decorative cover on her lap. Behind her is a neutral-colored wall or backdrop. The image is framed in an ornate mat with an octagonal opening.

Gallery mode Full size at the museum

Portrait of a Woman

French 19th Century

c. 1855

Medium: daguerreotype with applied color
Classification: Photograph
Dimensions: image (visible): 9.2 × 13 cm (3 5/8 × 5 1/8 in.) ; mat: 15.7 × 20.7 cm (6 3/16 × 8 1/8 in.) ; overall: 16.6 × 21.7 × 0.5 cm (6 9/16 × 8 9/16 × 3/16 in.)
Culture: French
Museum: National Gallery of Art, CPH
Credit line: Patrons' Permanent Fund
Rights: Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art

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