Portret van een vrouw met een boek bij een tafel c. 1868 - 1906

This photograph, by Rooswinkel & Co of Amsterdam, depicts a woman with a book in an interior setting. Photography in the 19th century Netherlands gained popularity as advancements in technology made it more accessible, gradually moving from a niche practice to something for the middle classes. The emphasis on portraiture reflects a broader societal interest in self-representation and documentation. The woman's dress, the furniture, and the carefully staged setting speak to the sitter’s social standing. What might appear as a simple portrait, then, offers a glimpse into the values and aspirations of a particular social class at a specific historical juncture. Historians can dig into this image and others like it, cross-referencing visual evidence with archival sources, like studio records, census data, and fashion journals, to reconstruct a richer picture of the social context of the time.