Portret van een staande vrouw bij een hek en een sokkel

This photographic portrait was made by Jan Goedeljee, sometime in the late 19th century. It’s a small albumen print – a process that involves coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate to create a light-sensitive surface. The result is a soft, sepia-toned image, almost painterly in its effect. But unlike painting, photography opened up portraiture to a wider clientele. This woman, dressed in her lace-trimmed best, would likely not have had the means to commission a painted portrait. Here, she stands stiffly beside a rustic fence, her expression unreadable. The very act of photography had social significance, as well. New photographic studios sprung up in response to demand, and a new profession was born. Goedeljee, like other photographers, was an entrepreneur, catering to the aspirations of a rising middle class. It reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward image is the result of material processes, cultural expectations, and economic forces.