Portret van een vrouw 1873 - 1908

Carl Wilhelm Bauer created this small photograph, "Portret van een vrouw," as a part of a series of portraits of women in the mid-19th century. During this time, photography was not only a burgeoning art form but also a tool for constructing and preserving social identities. Bauer's portraits often capture women in poses that reflect the era's ideals of domesticity and virtue. Yet, in the woman’s gaze, we see not only compliance but perhaps also a quiet resilience. How does the act of portraiture both confine and liberate its subjects? Consider the ways in which women navigated the complex social expectations of their time. These images offer a window into the negotiation of identity within the confines of 19th-century society, inviting us to contemplate the untold stories behind each face.