Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1895 - 1908

This photograph, ‘Portret van een onbekende vrouw,’ was made by E. v.d. Kerkhoff, a Dutch photographer, though we don't know exactly when. It's a small picture, only about 10cm high. Looking at this image, I'm really struck by its hazy quality. It's like the whole image has been lightly fogged, softening the details and giving the woman a slightly dreamy, ethereal appearance. The dress is almost all shadow, but the detail in the lace collar is amazing. The more you look, the more you feel like you’re looking at a drawing or painting. What really gets me about this photograph is that, even though it’s of an unknown woman, it feels incredibly intimate. It’s like the photographer has managed to capture something of her inner self, and you can almost imagine what she was thinking and feeling. It's a different way of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world. This reminds me a little of Julia Margaret Cameron’s portraiture, where the subject is allowed to be imperfect and real.