[Julia Jackson]

Julia Jackson, the daughter of Cameron's sister Maria (Mia), was Julia Margaret Cameron's namesake and favorite niece. She was a renowned beauty, and much sought after both as artist's model and as potential bride. Cameron's admiration of Jackson is evident in the many portraits she made of Jackson; in fact, she was Cameron's most frequent subject.

Here Cameron depicted Jackson in the year of her first marriage. She is shown at the height of her beauty, before later tragedies, including her husband's premature death, brought a solemnity and melancholy to her face. Cameron employs the same strong directional lighting that she used in her portrait of Thomas Carlyle, casting half of the subject's face in deep shadow.