Silhouette of an unknown girl with braids, in profile to the left 1830 - 1890

This profile of an unknown girl with braids was made with watercolor by Edgar Adolphe, sometime in the 19th century. Silhouette portraits like this were popular because they were quicker and cheaper to make than painted portraits. In this case, watercolor was carefully applied to paper to create a precise likeness. You can almost feel the steady hand of the artist as he traced and filled in the girl's features and hair. The meticulous rendering of details, like the lace collar, would have required immense skill and patience. Consider the social context: at a time when photography was still in its infancy, silhouettes offered a relatively accessible way for people to immortalize their loved ones. Though seemingly simple, this artwork is imbued with the labor and skill of the artist, and the social needs of the sitter and her family. Paying attention to materials and processes allows us to appreciate this silhouette not just as a historical artifact, but as a testament to human creativity and the desire to capture a moment in time.