Albumen cabinet card portrait of a little person woman, photographed at Tunnel City Studio, 720 Huron Avenue, Port Huron, Michigan. The full-length studio composition presents the sitter standing beside an ornate wicker chair, one hand resting lightly on its back, the other held at her waist. She is dressed in a dark, simply tailored dress with fitted bodice and long skirt, accented by a necktie and bonnet, conveying a formal yet restrained presentation typical of late 19th century studio portraiture.
The setting is minimal, with a plain backdrop that emphasizes the figure and the decorative chair as the primary visual elements. The photographer’s imprint, “Tunnel City Studio, Ground Floor, 720 Huron Avenue, Port Huron, Mich.,” is clearly printed along the lower mount. The reverse bears later pencil notation referencing “2 cards this and memorial card Mrs. Patrick Burke,” suggesting a possible identification, though not contemporary to the photograph.
Portraits of little people from this period were produced both as personal likenesses and, at times, in connection with exhibition or performance contexts. In this example, the absence of theatrical costume or overt staging suggests a more straightforward studio portrait, though the subject’s presence and careful posing remain central to the composition.
A strong and well-composed cabinet card with clear studio attribution and intriguing later notation.