The artwork titled “Alexandra ‘Xie’ Kitchin,” created by Lewis Carroll in 1877, is a fine example of the Pictorialism movement in photography. It belongs to the genre of portrait photography.
The artwork portrays a young girl identified as Alexandra ‘Xie’ Kitchin, standing with one hand resting on the edge of a cushioned stool. Her expression is poised and earnest, captured in a moment of pensive stillness. The background is simple and uncluttered, enhancing the subject’s presence. She is dressed in period attire, complete with lace detailing at the collar and sleeves, which exemplifies the fashion of the time. The composition and the play of light and shadow evoke a sense of timelessness, as is characteristic of Pictorialism, where the emphasis is on the aesthetic quality and artistic expression of the photograph.
