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If the picture was taken in Vilnius, he was most certainly in the Russian army. There are a number of museums in Vilnius that may be able to help you out. On closer inspection the uniform is most certainly not an Austro-Hungarian uniform, but appears to be that a Russian Imperial uniform (junior officer). There is a number on the epaulet (27?) which would be a regimental number/designation.
The advice about the uniform website is a good one.I for one have no clue what rank he is.
I think they are certainly middle class though on what rung of the ladder I don't know.JoeGolf you're right.At that time most officers were drwn from those who were educated or the higher classes. From what little research I've been able to do with my own relatives in Germany(dad's side) those memebers who were in the military were apparently officers ,,,,,,,,,including at least one General who was commander of Army Group Kurland during WW2.One had to come from a good family at least.And while everyone thinks of nobles with titles, there were others like my dad's who didn't have one.I was told by my mom once that dad's side could use von in the name,but even though they could,it seems
most of them didn't. Be interesting to see what you find out.
See if perhaps there's a similar picture amongst those.
Another thought, perhaps you could mail a copy of the photo to the museum to see if they have a similar one, perhaps not all are posted online? Don't worry about a translation, just write in English, there's always someone around who understands English
Additionally, this museum might help you in your search. A small "bribe" wouldn't hurt....say, I am enclosing an International Money Order for XXX to help cover your expenses
I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest the clothing is not necessarily all that upper class. The two men on the right seem to be wearing military uniforms, which is not an indication of class and the woman is covering her dress with a full length cloak that doesn't necessarily tell us much. You'd think if she had a very fine dress on, she would want to show it off - perhaps she's hiding it because her hat and cloak are of better quality. She does appear to be deliberately covering up her dress, if you ask me. Keep in mind that even middle to lower class people would put on their best clothing to have a photo done so I always assume there's a possibility they appear to be a higher social than they really were.
I absolutely agree with you on every point.
I have to say I'm not getting an impression of high quality from the lady's cloak. I think it's been made by someone who has mediocre dressmaking skills. It's a very simple construction and and it might not even be hers since it doesn't fit very well. It's also a very odd choice for photograph posing which makes me think that she had little choice of alternative garments.
Great looking family. I'd love to have them in my history!
Everyone wants to think they are related to nobility.
Those people in the photo are probably lower middle class, like the vast majority of Europe back then. If they are from one of the Slavic ethnic groups of central Europe then they were probably poor. Even the poorest of people would normally have once nice outfit for special occasions like photos or weddings.
I agree with others that the people do not seem to be of high social rank. The woman's hat and hair don't look as upscale as I would expect, and she does not look as if she has lived an easy life.
The cloak she has pulled around her has meaning. I suspect, as others have, that she is wearing the best garment she owns, and therefore has not taken it off.
I don't make out enough detail to guess at ethnicity. But the men look Central European to me, basically because of their facial hair, I think.
If the young man in the rear (in uniform) was added to the photo, perhaps he was someone who died while a cadet or whatever. And the older man in uniform is presumably a relative. This could mean that the men of the family sought careers in the military.
The photo is posed with props intended to suggest outdoors, which may account for the woman's cloak. And if she is a widow, her normal black attire might not have been the most "artistic" for the photo grouping. I wonder if the outdoors staging of this photo might also help account for the fact the woman is wearing an outdoor garment. The military man to her left has also posed with an outdoor cape on.
If the young man in the rear (in uniform) was added to the photo, perhaps he was someone who died while a cadet or whatever. And the older man in uniform is presumably a relative. This could mean that the men of the family sought careers in the military.
The photo is posed with props intended to suggest outdoors, which may account for the woman's cloak. And if she is a widow, her normal black attire might not have been the most "artistic" for the photo grouping. I wonder if the outdoors staging of this photo might also help account for the fact the woman is wearing an outdoor garment. The military man to her left has also posed with an outdoor cape on.
That's what I thought too. They are posed to look as though they are sitting outside and they are dressed accordingly. That's also what led me to say in an earlier post that they may be somewhat well off. All of my (plain ordinary people) ancestors are just wearing nice clothes and posed in a studio. That is their *one* photo, usually a wedding photo.
That these people could afford a family photo and that it was their choice to also have a rustic photo, might mean that they are the equivalent of a modern family that has a second home. It might have been their way of saying "here we are in our mountain home" or "here we are at our summer place" "here we are on our yacht." Since photography was still in its infancy, the only way they could show it was in a studio photograph.
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