Portret van een staande vrouw met opgehaalde rok 1875 - 1899

This is a photograph titled "Portret van een staande vrouw met opgehaalde rok," made by Photographie Française in Amsterdam. The photograph presents a standing woman, her silhouette defined against a backdrop of what appears to be an ornate studio setting. The composition emphasizes the woman’s form, notably the detailed arrangement of her dress. The pulled-up skirt creates a complex interplay of light and shadow, giving the fabric a sculptural quality. This formal attention to fabric and form invites a semiotic interpretation. In this way, the photograph transcends the simple act of portraiture, becoming an exploration of form, texture, and representation. The deliberate arrangement of the subject and the play of light and shadow turn the photograph into a study of how visual elements convey meaning, and how representation can be both a depiction and a construction of reality.