I awoke with great joy this morning to an email from my cousin Henri that contained a photo of his ancestor Mary Jane (Jauncey-Thorn) de Varaigne. If you have been following this story, you will know that Mary eloped with Camille de Varaigne when she was 16 and caused an enormous scandal. The couple did marry and all was eventually forgiven and forgotten.

Below is the photo taken by the famous Parisian photographer, Disderi. This is Mary in 1860, six years before her death. I am curious about why many of the women in the photos I have seen from this time are not looking at the camera, but are posed side on.