A powerful and visually arresting sixth plate ambrotype depicting an African American woman seated in a formal studio setting, wearing a tignon—a wrapped head covering historically worn by Creole women and free women of color, particularly in Louisiana and the broader Gulf South. Her expression is composed and dignified, and she is dressed in a dark, pleated dress with a white collar and necklace, seated in a Victorian side chair.

The image is housed in a complete leather case featuring an intricate swirling pattern on the cover and lined with a rich red velvet interior. The contrast and clarity of the plate remain strong, and the subject’s features are rendered with excellent sharpness and tonal depth, giving the portrait a vivid presence. Her gaze directly engages the viewer, creating a rare and intimate connection uncommon in portraits of the period.

Photographs of African American women from the antebellum or immediate post-Civil War period—especially in formal settings and with head coverings of cultural significance—are exceedingly scarce. This ambrotype is both culturally and historically important, ideal for collectors of African American history, 19th-century photography, and visual documentation of resistance, identity, and resilience.