Reminiscent of Whistler’s Mother, this vintage portrait study of an elderly woman by Royster  appears to have been photographed through either a fine screen, (similar to material used for a screen door) or one used during the actual printing of the photograph.

On print support recto: photograph tipped to gray art paper mount.

On print support verso:
Print # 14 for June Portfolio

Juliana Royster

Mrs. Jackson

The print reference # on verso refers to Royster’s own numbering system used as part of its’ inclusion in a collection of postal photographic club prints circulated among fellow members active in the Northeast circa 1905-1910.

Original copy for this entry posted to Facebook on February 22, 2012:

Compositional elements making up the photograph “Mrs. Jackson” by American photographer Juliana Royster are uncannily similar to those used in another famous American work: “Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1”, better known to the masses as Whistler’s Mother. (1871) Upon close inspection, a screen in front of this composition can be made out- used by Royster as a diffusion technique or deliberate method of selected focus by photographing through a wire screen placed in front of the lens. Famous later for founding the Jugtown Pottery in Seagrove North Carolina, Julia Royster Busbee (1876-1962) took up photography early in her education, before becoming an acclaimed potter. This vintage gelatin-silver photograph on the original mount can be dated to no later than 1910, based on other examples in our collection.