Portret van een vrouw met boek in de hand, staand bij een tafel 1860 - 1890

Peter Nimmo created this portrait of a woman with a book in hand, standing by a table, using an early photographic process. Portraits like this were more than just images; they were carefully constructed representations of social identity. The woman's attire signals both status and gender expectations. Her dress, with its voluminous skirt, speaks to the restrictive yet revered role of women in society, while the book hints at intellect and leisure, attributes that were becoming increasingly associated with women of a certain class. This photograph captures a moment in time when photography itself was transforming how people saw themselves and others. It invites us to consider the complex ways in which identity, gender, and social class were negotiated and performed in front of the camera. While seemingly posed and formal, it holds a subtle tension between the individual and the social forces shaping her existence.