Portret van een vrouw 1873 - 1887

Godfried de Jong captured this small albumen print, "Portret van een vrouw", sometime in the late 19th century. The delicate tones and composition draw us into the formal conventions of portraiture during this era. Notice how the subdued palette focuses our attention on the sitter's face, framed neatly by a high-collared jacket and simple hairstyle. The buttons create a rigid structural element, drawing your eye downward. The subject's gaze, combined with the symmetry, creates a sense of directness, yet also a distance. The albumen print as a medium, with its tonal range, was highly valued for its capacity to reveal a lifelike rendering of its subject. In a time defined by its strict social codes, portraits like these served as important signifiers of identity, class and status, while at the same time revealing a glimpse into the subject's inner self. It prompts one to consider what is revealed and what is deliberately concealed.