Portret van een vrouw 1880 - 1890

Joseph Maes created this small portrait of a woman, using photography, during a period of significant social change. During the late 19th century, the rise of photography intersects with evolving ideas about identity and representation, particularly for women. Consider the Victorian era’s rigid expectations of femininity and social roles. How does this portrait engage with or challenge these norms? The woman's gaze seems direct, but her posture remains formal, reflecting the tensions of the time. There's a sense of a story being told, not just about her individuality, but about the broader societal expectations and the limited roles available to women. Looking at this image, what does it tell us about the negotiation between personal expression and social constraint? How does it reflect or resist the conventional representations of women?