Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1895 - 1908

This small portrait of an unknown woman was made by E. v.d. Kerkhoff, most likely in a photographic studio. The limited palette feels historical somehow, a sepia-toned world where shadows soften every edge. Looking at the image, I wonder about the technical side of the process. What was it like to pose for so long? To be seen in this way? And what was it like for the artist to choose the right lighting, the angle, and the background? I think about Kerkhoff's artistic decisions, the constraints of the medium. It seems as though the artist wanted to capture the woman’s character in her gaze, the small smile and soft curls. It makes me think about how we are still trying to capture something true with every image we make, always learning from artists who came before us.