Alexandrine 1869 - 1874

Jeremiah Gurney, a pioneering photographer, created this stereograph of a woman named Alexandrine in his New York studio. During the mid-19th century, photography became a powerful tool for shaping identities. Stereographs like this one offered a three-dimensional viewing experience, heightening the sense of realism and intimacy. Here, Alexandrine's gaze avoids meeting ours, her hands gently frame her face, drawing attention to her elaborate hairstyle and delicate features. While portraits were, and are, always staged to some extent, photography offered a new form of representing the self. For women, in particular, photographic portraits provided an opportunity to negotiate the complexities of gender, class, and personal expression. Alexandrine's portrait reflects the Victorian era's emphasis on beauty and respectability, yet it also hints at the subject's agency in shaping her own image. The emotional depth of this image invites us to reflect on the ways in which we construct and perceive identity through visual media.