Portret van een onbekende man en vrouw in klederdracht uit Mora, Zweden 1867 - 1883

Eurenius and Quist made this photographic portrait of a man and woman in traditional dress from Mora, Sweden. The image presents an interesting case study in cultural representation. Photography in the 19th century emerged as a powerful tool for documenting and defining cultural identity. This particular photograph might have been commissioned as part of a broader effort to capture and preserve regional customs. In Sweden, folk costumes carried strong symbolic meanings related to social status, marital status, and geographic origin. As Sweden modernized there was a growing interest in preserving regional traditions, and this photograph would have contributed to this movement. Further research into the archives of Swedish cultural institutions might shed light on the original purpose and reception of images like these. What was the image used for? Who was the intended audience? The answers to these questions help us understand the social life of the image.