VERY RARE, superb hand-tinted cabinet card of actress Isabelle Urquhart, c 1890

Description

Isabelle Urquhart (1865-1907) was an American stage actress and contralto singer born in New York City. She made her stage debut as a chorus girl at the age of 15. At age 17 she played the role of a 97 year old woman. Her 25 year stage career extended from 1881-1906. She said “I prefer legitimate drama to comic opera”, but became famous for her comic opera roles. She performed in the long-running hit “Erminie” (1886-1888) without wearing petticoats “to accentuate her gorgeous figure” and started a trend which ultimately led to the demise of petticoats. She starred in vaudeville during the last ten years of her stage career. She had an affair with the husband of fellow actress Annie Sutherland, leading to their divorce. She made three appearances on Broadway late in her career, her final appearance only 9 months before she was stricken with peritonitis. Two operations failed to save her and she died at the age of 41.
Isabelle is standing, facing half-right and looking down. Her left hand is on her hip and her right hand raises up the long extension of her mantilla. She poses and is dressed as a Spanish dancer, wearing a high cloth and lace mantilla with a rose affixed to the front, and an elaborately decorated dress with lots of embroidery and beads, the tight-fitting top portion accentuating her large bust and narrow waist.
Hand-tinted cabinet cards are much rarer than black-and-white and sepia examples. This card exhibits vivid shades of orange, pink, yellow, and green.
Photographer: [Benjamin J.] Falk, 949 Broadway, N.Y. Blank reverse.
Condition: Excellent! The only defect is pinholes in each corner. Nearly flat, exhibiting almost none of the warping typical of cabinet cards.
An unusual, very rare, and strikingly attractive cabinet card!