E.D. VanRensselaer Correspondence to Alice Austen
PI
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:37:04 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:24:36 PM
Added description
Description
E.D. VanRensselaer Correspondence to Alice Austen (September 1890)
Overview
This collection comprises five scanned images of handwritten letters sent by E.D. VanRensselaer, a cousin of photographer Elizabeth Alice Austen, to Austen in September 1890. The materials were digitized by the Alice Austen House Museum and are available through the PINAX platform. Each image contains the original letter text, and accompanying OCR text is provided for searchable access. The collection is presented in English and is organized chronologically by the date of each letter.Background
Elizabeth Alice Austen (1866‑1952) was a pioneering American photographer based in Staten Island, New York. Her work and personal correspondence offer insight into late‑Victorian social life and the early professional photography market. E.D. VanRensselaer, residing in Fishkill on Hudson and other nearby New York locales, maintained a close familial and business relationship with Austen. The letters reflect their shared interests in photography, family affairs, and social events, and illustrate the circulation of photographic prints among friends and clients.Contents
- Letter 4002 (Sept 15 1890) – Discusses the arrival of Austen’s photographs and expresses gratitude for the finished prints.
- Letter 4003 (Sept 1890) – Describes parlor photographs, their quality, and their intended recipient, Mrs. Bartlett.
- Letter 4004 (Sept 1890) – Mentions summer activities, health updates, and visits to Northfield and Sea Bright.
- Letter 4005 (Sept 1890) – A brief thank‑you note, reaffirming affection and appreciation for Austen’s work.
- Letter 4001 (Sept 1890) – A greeting from Austen, noting her residence at Rose Banks, Staten Island.
Each letter is accompanied by a high‑resolution JPG scan and an OCR transcript, facilitating textual analysis.
Scope
The collection covers a single month in 1890 and is geographically anchored to Fishkill on Hudson, Staten Island, Northfield, and Sea Bright, New York. It focuses on personal correspondence that intertwines photography, family relationships, and social life within the upper‑middle‑class milieu of late‑Victorian New York. The materials exclude any non‑letter documents, such as photographs themselves, but provide contextual references to Austen’s photographic output.Raw Cheimarros Data
@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth_year: @date_1866, death_year: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer", location: @staten_island}
@ed_vanrensselaer:person {full_name: "E.D. VanRensselaer", relation: "cousin"}
@mrs_bartlett:person {full_name: "Mrs. Bartlett"}
@lola:person {nickname_of: @alice_austen}
@staten_island:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@fishkill_on_hudson:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@northfield:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@sea_bright:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@rose_banks:place {state: @new_york, country: @united_states}
@photography:concept {field: "photography"}
@photos:concept {type: "photographic prints"}
@letter_4002:document {date: @date_1890_09_15, from: @ed_vanrensselaer, to: @alice_austen, subject: "photographs", location: @fishkill_on_hudson}
@letter_4003:document {date: @date_1890_09, from: @ed_vanrensselaer, to: @alice_austen, subject: "parlor photos", location: @fishkill_on_hudson}
@letter_4004:document {date: @date_1890_09, from: @ed_vanrensselaer, to: @alice_austen, subject: "summer, health, family", location: @fishkill_on_hudson}
@letter_4005:document {date: @date_1890_09, from: @ed_vanrensselaer, to: @alice_austen, subject: "thanks", location: @fishkill_on_hudson}
@ed_vanrensselaer -> sent -> @letter_4002
@ed_vanrensselaer -> sent -> @letter_4003
@ed_vanrensselaer -> sent -> @letter_4004
@ed_vanrensselaer -> sent -> @letter_4005
@alice_austen -> produced -> @photos {intended_for: @mrs_bartlett, date: @date_1890_09}
@alice_austen -> discussed -> @photography {when: @date_1890_09}
@file_1890_sept_4002_e_d_vanrensselaer_jpg:file -> contains -> @letter_4002
@file_1890_sept_4003_e_d_vanrensselaer_jpg:file -> contains -> @letter_4003
@file_1890_sept_4004_e_d_vanrensselaer_jpg:file -> contains -> @letter_4004
@file_1890_sept_4005_e_d_vanrensselaer_jpg:file -> contains -> @letter_4005
@file_pinax:file {title: "E.D. VanRensselaer Correspondence to Alice Austen", creator: @ed_vanrensselaer, institution: "Alice Austen House", created: @date_1890_09, language: "en", subjects: ["Correspondence","Photography","Family relationships","Social life","Victorian era"], description: "A collection of letters from E.D. VanRensselaer to Alice Austen in September 1890, discussing photography, family matters, and social life.", places: [@fishkill_on_hudson, @staten_island, @northfield, @sea_bright]}Metadata
Files (5)
OCR Text
Miss Alice Austin Rose Banks Staton Island New York
OCR Text
Fishkill on Hudson Sept 15, '90 My dear Soler, Your two sets of photos have arrived safely. Just the proofs for which thank you for sending—you little gem dies wonderful with—and I feel reproached for not having written to thank you, and will astonishingly those, but I am always in arrears in the latter time—and it was not want of appreciation. I do assure you that kept me from writing, and now the beautiful finished photos have come.
OCR Text
mother & I both think the parlor ones particularly clean and good—and I am very glad to have such beautiful specimens of your work, to send to Mrs. Bartlett for whom they are intended. The little ones are just as charming as they can be—poorly imitated & one of the prettiest features of this place, the arch—so well done. Thank you for sending an extra one of the woodpile group—one of the pleasant remembrances of pleasant day—are these dear little reproductions—and I am sure dear Lola you have given an ordinary amount of pleasure in your lip—by your excellent work—in a most valuable
OCR Text
out. I hope you have had a very pleasant summer and that you have been able to get many pretty views. Mother & I enjoyed our Northfield days very very much. She has not been well since her return as that it has prevented our going to Sea Bright but is feeling much better now. What rainy weather we are having. There seems to be no end to the damp, dark weather. But sunny days must come sometime. Mother sends much love to your mother and yourself and forgetting your aunt.
OCR Text
Hoping you are all well. I am ever very affectionately, your cousin E.D. VanDensselaer I do not think I have conveyed my thanks dear Lolla, & for appreciation of the photo which was very great.
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:37:04 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:23:29 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:46:06 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:24:36 PM · View this version
"Reorganization group: E_D_VanRensselaer_Correspondence"
Parent
No children (leaf entity)