Portret van een onbekende oude vrouw met muts 1872 - 1878

This is Christaan Marcussen's undated photograph titled 'Portrait of an Unknown Old Woman with Bonnet'. Here, the aging subject is centrally located in the frame, with the composition following a formal structure that was common for photographic portraiture in the 19th century. During this period, photography studios played a crucial role in shaping social perceptions by offering affordable portraiture to a wider segment of the population. While traditionally portraiture was reserved for the elite, this new technology allowed for a more democratic representation of society. In this instance, we do not know the sitter, which is intriguing in itself, yet we can still glean information about the culture from which she came. Her clothes, her bonnet, the photographic style - all point to this photograph being a form of social record. Delving into the archives of photographic studios, alongside census data, might reveal the broader social context in which Marcussen’s photographs were made.