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Gift of Mrs. George Wells Cheney, Jr., 1991.54.168, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, …
Harriet and Elizabeth Cheney
Gift of Mrs. George Wells Cheney, Jr., 1991.54.168, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Copyright Undetermined

Harriet and Elizabeth Cheney

SubjectPortrait of Harriet Bowen Cheney Cowles American, 1867 - 1938
SubjectPortrait of Elizabeth Cheney American, 1865 - 1898
Dateabout 1884
MediumPhotography, black and white photograph on paper and cardstock
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width): 3 1/2 × 4 1/2in. (8.9 × 11.4cm)
Mount (height x width): 5 1/4 × 8 1/2in. (13.3 × 21.6cm)
ClassificationsGraphics
Credit LineGift of Mrs. George Wells Cheney, Jr.
DescriptionView of two young women sitting on steps in front of an open doorway. Harriet "Hart" Bowen Cheney (1867-1938) sits on the left and her older sister Elizabeth "Bess" Cheney (1865-1898) sits on the right. They are both wearing light colored dresses, wide-brimmed hats, and dark leather shoes. The walls on either side of the doorway are covered by a viney plant that has very large leaves.

The photograph is mounted on a piece of thick cardstock that is dark brown on the front and light gray on the back. The edges are beveled and gilt.
Object number1991.54.168
InscribedHandwritten in pencil on verso: "KD's daughters"

Handwritten in black ink on verso: "KD girls / left Harriet Cheney / Rt Elizabeth Cheney"

Handwritten in pencil on verso by cataloger, with a line extending from the accession number: "compare w/photos / in portfolio"
NotesDate note: Estimate based on life dates and approximate age of subjects in photograph. Cataloging worksheet in object file gives date as circa 1884.

Elizabeth and Harriet were the second and third children of Knight Dexter Cheney and Ednah Dow Smith. There were eleven children total.
On View
Not on view
Gift of Mrs. George Wells Cheney, Jr., 1991.54.29, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, C…
Harriet Bowen Cheney Cowles
about 1879
Gift of Mrs. George Wells Cheney, 1991.54.170, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Copyr…
Ellen Waitstill Cheney
about 1884
Gift of Mrs. George Wells Cheney, Jr., 1991.54.169, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, …
Knight Dexter Cheney II
about 1887
Gift of Horace Learned and Mrs. Frank W. Crocker, 1979.25.327, Connecticut Museum of Culture an…
Harriet A. Bowen
1840 - 1850
Gift of Elizabeth Knapp Packard, 2008.39.5, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Copyrigh…
John Cheney Cowles
1953
Gift of Edith Cowles Poor, 2008.38.62, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Copyright Und…
Elizabeth Cheney
1880 - 1890
Gift of Michael Shortell, 2009.210.2  © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.
Maria B. Cowles
1850