Portret van een vrouw met parasol, leunend op een balustrade 1885 - 1900

Adolphe Zimmermans made this small photograph of a woman with a parasol in the Netherlands, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The woman's pose, leaning on a balustrade with a parasol behind her, evokes the leisurely lifestyle of the upper class. The photograph itself, as a relatively new and accessible medium, democratized portraiture, allowing a wider range of people to participate in the cultural rituals of representation previously reserved for the wealthy. Consider the role of institutions like the Rijksmuseum in preserving and displaying such images. They shape our understanding of the past and influence what we consider to be culturally significant. By studying photographs like these, alongside other historical sources such as letters, diaries, and newspapers, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social conditions and cultural values of the time. The meaning of this photograph, then, lies not only in the image itself but also in the broader social and institutional context in which it was created and consumed.