Portret van een jonge vrouw met pijpenkrullen 1857 - 1864

Curator: Welcome. Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have "Portret van een jonge vrouw met pijpenkrullen," an albumen print made sometime between 1857 and 1864 by Wegner & Mottu. Editor: The oval composition gives it an almost romantic feel. It's visually quite soft; the delicate lines of the subject's striped dress fade subtly into the neutral background. It almost disappears before my eyes. Curator: It is typical of the era's photographic practices. Albumen prints such as these were incredibly popular, demonstrating photography's burgeoning role in documenting everyday people, not just elites. Consider the social implications, mass production and circulation of these portraits allowed a broader representation of the population. Editor: It’s fascinating to think about the semiotics of it – the very specific gesture, the tight curls, the dress's precise cut. Every element signals status, aspirations... and anxieties of the Victorian era. The subdued palette emphasizes form and shadow, it creates an emotional reserve, which aligns with that period. Curator: I'm intrigued by the physical artifact itself. Albumen printing involved coating paper with egg whites – a complex process and it speaks volumes about the value and resources attached to image-making back then. This print may have been mounted into a carte-de-visite album. This offers us insight into the era's popular visual culture, the rise of commercial photography, and the evolving relationship between identity and representation. Editor: True. It seems she is gazing not only at us, the viewers but perhaps at the concept of her likeness as something preservable and circulated. She holds herself with such poise. Curator: Exactly. When we contemplate this image, let's reflect upon not only who she may have been but how technological advancement changed how she thought of herself and others. Editor: Agreed, reflecting on the interplay between material and image helps me to think critically about both photographic techniques, social change and the gaze itself.