Xie (Alexandra) Kitchin as a “Dane”

A striking portrait photograph by Lewis Carroll captures young Xie Kitchin, one of his favorite child subjects, costumed as a "Dane" in a playful exercise of Victorian fancy dress photography. Carroll's careful composition and attention to light reveal his characteristic blend of artistic sensibility and affectionate regard for his young sitter. The image reflects both Carroll's skilled eye as an amateur photographer and the fashionable Victorian pastime of dressing children in theatrical or exotic costumes for artistic portraits.