Scantily clad cocotte

A cabinet card portrait of a young woman wearing only her cotton and lace chemise. Her long hair is flowing loosing around her left shoulder and her left hand is pulling up her chemise to show some more of her leg. Another clear signal of her availability is the precise placement of her left-hand in the region of her genitalia, which must surely have been by design rather than by accident. The overall impression is that she’s touching herself while reading a letter from her lover.

Photographed by Charles Reutlinger of Paris, who specialised in portraits of attractive actresses, dancers and models.