Young Woman in Pantalettes
1855
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1855
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A young woman sits stiffly in a chair, her pale dress puffed out like a cloud. She wears loose pants under it—something bold for the 1850s. This isn’t a painting; it’s a hand-colored photograph. Back then, people posed in studios, then artists dabbed paint on the print to make jewelry or fabric pop. The woman’s pants might have been her own choice, a quiet way to show independence. Look up more early American photographs at The Cleveland Museum of Art.
