Belle Howitt 1869 - 1874

Jeremiah Gurney, a prominent New York photographer, captured this portrait of Belle Howitt in a stereograph. During this period, portraiture became democratized, yet it also became a means of reinforcing social distinctions. Consider the gaze of the sitter, Belle Howitt, directed slightly away. Is this coy or confrontational? Her elaborate hairstyle and jewelry speak to a certain level of economic privilege, but perhaps also a carefully constructed performance of femininity that was common in the 19th century. Stereographs were often used for entertainment and circulated widely. What narratives were being woven about women and their roles in society through these images? Howitt's individual story remains elusive, but her image invites questions about representation, identity, and the complexities of womanhood in a rapidly changing world. It makes us wonder how she might have felt, caught between societal expectations and personal aspirations.