This portrait photograph of C. Alice Baker (1833-1909) appears as a carte-de-visite, a small photographic portrait mounted on a card. Miss Baker was living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at the time and the photograph was taken by Allen & Rowell of Boston. Her severe hair style and black silk dress are both characteristic of female appearance in the third quarter of the 19th century. In this period, making afternoon social calls was in fashion and the cards served to announce a visit if the hostess was not at home.