Portret van een jongeman in een jasje en een meisje in een gestreepte jurk c. 1857 - 1880

This is a photograph by Woodbury & Page, titled 'Portret van een jongeman in een jasje en een meisje in een gestreepte jurk', its date currently unknown. The subdued sepia tones create a sense of nostalgia, a formal effect which is amplified by the rigid composition. The subjects, a young man and woman, are positioned against a painted backdrop, the artificiality of which disrupts any sense of naturalism. The woman is seated at a table, while the boy stands, his hand lightly resting on her shoulder. This arrangement creates a staged tableau, typical of portraiture from this era. The photograph’s structure invites us to consider the interplay between the real and the represented. The backdrop—a constructed image of nature—highlights photography's ability to fabricate realities. The controlled posing and the subjects' formal attire further underscore this tension. The image ultimately becomes a study in contrasts: between spontaneity and artifice, nature and culture, the individual and the social. It suggests that what we see in a photograph is not a simple reflection of reality, but a carefully constructed image laden with cultural meaning.