1866 aged 42

This image was published in John Bigelow Retrospections of an Active Life vol. V Doubleday, Page & Company, New York 1913 fp 130. The book was prepared by Bigelow's son using his parents' papers. It is clearly taken from the series of Elliott & Fry pictures taken in 1866 which Wilkie may have sent to Bigelow's wife Jane after their first meeting in January 1867. He certainly sent her a signed extract from The Woman in White dated 28 January 1867 (BGLL II 62-63 [0725]). Wilkie wrote to his mother on 29 January 1867 "Dined yesterday with Forster – and met Mr & Mrs Bigelow (the late Ambassador and Ambassadress of America at Paris). Most charming people – the lady pretty, sprightly, unaffected – and so fond of my books that you would have been charmed with her too." (BGLL II 64 [0727])