Mary Melissa Goodell c. 1905
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- Title
- Mary Melissa Goodell c. 1905
- Description
- This formal studio portrait captures Mary Melissa Goodell Casler (1846–1910) in the twilight of her life, likely taken in the first decade of the 20th century. Seated with a composed and dignified air, Melissa wears the fashionable attire of the late Victorian or early Edwardian era, characterized by a dark, structured bodice and a high, lace-trimmed collar. The studio setting—complete with a heavy, studded armchair, a decorative vase, and books—was designed to project an image of respectability, intellect, and middle-class stability. As a matriarch of the Casler family, this image serves as a visual record of a woman who lived through much of the 19th century, bridging the gap between the early settlement eras of New York and the dawn of the modern age.
- Date
- 1905
- Subject
- Mary Melissa Goodell
- Spatial Coverage
- Syracuse, Onondaga, New York, United States
- Creator
- Unidentified
- Format
- modern reprint of older photo, likely a silver gelatin cabinet card
- Rights
- Public Domain
From the Fifty Acres Archive. High-resolution files available upon request for non-commercial use. Republication or online distribution requires explicit permission.
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