[Female Portrait Bust on Pedestal] 1890s

This photograph of a woman posing as a bust on a pedestal was produced by Ritz & Hastings, a studio active in Boston near the turn of the century. Photographers in the 1890s often borrowed poses and props from painting and sculpture. The purpose was to associate photography with traditional fine arts, in order to have it accepted by institutions such as museums and academies. By imitating classical forms, the sitter claims for herself the cultural authority of the antique. The woman's gaze is fixed, almost confrontational. She may have been a member of Boston's educated elite, eager to take part in modern debates about the role of women in public life. The photographer's studio was a commercial enterprise operating within a specific social and economic context. To understand an image like this, we can consult a variety of sources, including business directories, census records, and newspapers. By studying these, we can better understand the image as something that is contingent on its social and institutional context.