Photograph: Eli Bowen with Wife and Child (from Fairy Wedding album)
Carte de visite photograph of Eli Bowen with his wife and their child. Bowen sits on the far left on a large cushion in a suit. His underdeveloped... Show moreCarte de visite photograph of Eli Bowen with his wife and their child. Bowen sits on the far left on a large cushion in a suit. His underdeveloped feet are on display, and he strikes a dignified pose. His wife stands beside him to the center right of the photograph, looking directly at the viewer. Their child sits on the far right, his feet moving and thus blurred in the photograph. This carte de visite comes from the Fairy Wedding album, but fell out of the page it was placed on. Eli Bowen (October 14, 1844-May 9, 1924) was a performer associated with various circuses including Barnum and Bailey. He was billed as the Legless Wonder, the Legless Acrobat, and the Handsomest Man in Showbiz among other variants, and best known for having underdeveloped legs. His act included various acrobatic feats atop a thirteen foot pole, as well as working with Charles Tripp who had underdeveloped arms. Bowen married Martha Haines, and the two had four children. Cartes de visite are photographs, usually mounted on a paper card and measuring about 2.5 by 4 inches, popular from about 1850 to the 1870s. Individuals could collect the cartes de visite of various celebrities from different backgrounds including entertainment and politics, or sit for portraits themselves. Measures 2.5 by 4.25 inches. Photograph by A. Newman, 228 North Ninth Street, Philadelphia. Dates to about 1879-1924. Show less