Woman in Cleveland, Ohio
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What stands out for me in this otherwise conventional carte de visite, and what I especially like, is the unusual darkness of it, with a dark dress against a dark background. It has a boldness to it, seeming to make a statement while giving her face an extra glow, and it’s lit artfully enough that the effect works for me. The photographer is A. Bisbee of 211 Superior Street in Cleveland, Ohio. That’s apparently Albert Bisbee, and more info on him can be found here.
Pics of Then 
I agree. The dark background clearly was by design, and it works very well with whatever light source he used. To my eye the tones are reminiscent of a daguerreotype or ambrotype. According to the website you found, Bisbee was a daguerreotypist for many years before switching to paper photographs. Maybe he tried to preserve the aesthetic.
Good call, that makes sense.