Portret van Alexandra van Denemarken, koningin van het Verenigd Koninkrijk 1860 - 1880

This albumen print portrays Alexandra of Denmark, later Queen of the United Kingdom, and was created by Rudolph Striegler. Photographs like this one were commodities that supported the Victorian-era British monarchy through the circulation of idealized images. These images reinforced the institution of the monarchy by presenting an image of royal womanhood that was both regal and accessible. The commercial context of photographic portraiture in the 19th century also speaks to the growing power of the middle classes, who had unprecedented access to images of the aristocracy and the monarchy. To fully understand the image, we can consult sources such as royal archives and photographic collections to trace how this image circulated and was received. Understanding this photograph requires us to engage with the social conditions that shaped its production, circulation, and reception.