Portret van een staande vrouw met boek 1860 - 1900

J.H. Gill made this photograph of a standing woman with book in an unknown location at an unknown date. In this portrait, the woman’s dress and the book are visual codes, offering a window into the cultural and social environment in which she lived. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a book was associated with education and intellect, while the dress indicates the sitter's social status. This portrait could be interpreted as the progressive belief that women should be educated, yet it is not explicitly challenging to social norms. Historians play a vital role in understanding the historical context, using resources like fashion history, social studies, and gender studies to find out more about the meaning of this photograph. By researching the cultural, social and institutional factors of the time, we can understand the deeper meaning of this artwork.