How do I please you? 1883

Curator: This is a fascinating piece—a photographic portrait entitled "How do I please you?" dating back to 1883. It’s attributed to E. Vogelsang. Editor: The sepia tones give it such a melancholic air, almost like a faded love letter. It definitely sparks a feeling of longing. The pose of the young woman, downcast eyes...it’s all quite loaded, isn't it? Curator: Precisely. Consider the title, laden with a question of female subjugation, reflecting societal expectations of women in the late 19th century. This piece presents a vital opportunity for us to critically engage with constructions of femininity. It draws up many thoughts when seen through a feminist lens. Editor: Absolutely. She seems almost trapped in that elaborate dress. The fabrics and lace, they confine as much as they adorn. And she's clutching that small purse or bag almost defensively. What do you make of her overall affect, so muted and contemplative? Curator: I would interpret her demure demeanor as performative, and an enforced gesture emblematic of patriarchal constraints. It speaks to issues of control and visibility, but it simultaneously underscores a quiet resilience. As with most portraiture from this period, the agency, or lack thereof, becomes central to discussions of social and cultural forces. The gaze that's averted, and its relation to that fraught question in the title are indicative of this constraint. Editor: Hmmm... you're so good at articulating all of that! I'm thinking though that perhaps she actually posed with a mischievous awareness? You know, a coy acknowledgment of what was being asked of her? I want to read something less bleak and forced into that downward gaze. The artist maybe lets her communicate something like that. Curator: An interesting counterpoint. Of course the image’s creation would have inevitably also engaged with questions of social mobility and emerging roles for women artists, with the Vogelsang studio headed by a woman! Editor: Right! Seeing her image, reinterpreting, maybe finding a subtle, even subversive story here… it makes her more present to us, somehow. And it does let us consider our contemporary selves through this very beautiful frame from so long ago. Thanks for teasing this out!