Unidentified sitter

A carte-de-visite portrait of an unidentified woman, presumably an actress or demi-mondaine, judging by her false hair and heavy eye make-up, to say nothing of her bare shoulders.

Photographed by Dr Székely of Vienna.

According to the website of collector Vlatko Miloševski: 'The Viennese photographer Dr. Josef Székely (1838-1901) was born in Sümeg near Lake Balaton in western Hungary and went to school in Szombathely. He then attended the University of Vienna and graduated in 1860 with a masters in pharmacy and in 1862 with a doctorate in chemistry. He taught at the university for a time, but then, opening an atelier in Heinrichshof near the Viennese Opera, he became a professional photographer, and one of substantial repute. In 1867 he won the Bronze Prize at the World’s Fair in Paris, and in 1878 he won a silver medal in Paris.'