['W. Wilson Dobie', 'Jane Elizabeth Dobie'] before 1896

These monochrome portraits of W. Wilson Dobie and Jane Elizabeth Dobie, of unknown date, are mounted in what seems to be an album or book. The portraits are presented in oval frames. This tight framing centres our attention on the figures’ faces and the details of their garments. Although the sitters are separated, the artist has employed a symmetrical arrangement, placing the two portraits side-by-side on the same page. This symmetry could suggest balance, harmony, and equality within the couple, and could be indicative of the societal conventions of portraiture at the time, where couples were often depicted to emphasize their marital bond. The contrast in textures—the smoothness of the paper, the detailed hatching of the figures—draws attention to the materiality of the photograph as an object. Ultimately, these portraits, with their formal composition and meticulous detail, reflect a desire to capture and preserve individual identities within the structure of familial and social relationships. This is conveyed through the formal arrangement, which is both aesthetically pleasing and rich in symbolic meaning.