Fotoreproductie van het schilderij La soeur aînée door Adolphe Williams Bouguereau before 1883

This is a photographic reproduction of the painting *La soeur aînée*, or *The Elder Sister*, by Adolphe William Bouguereau, made sometime in the late 19th century. Considered within its historical context, the image embodies the cultural values and norms of the time, particularly those relating to women’s roles. Bouguereau's original painting idealizes motherhood and sisterhood, reflecting societal expectations that placed women primarily in domestic roles. This photo reproduction participates in this narrative, reinforcing the sentimental depiction of women as caregivers. However, the anonymous nature of the photographer and the shift in medium complicate any reading of the work. What does it mean to reproduce a painting of a woman, within the relatively new medium of photography? The gaze of the older sister, at once protective and world weary, asks us to reflect on the burdens placed on young women. Is she a Madonna or a young woman robbed of her youth? Ultimately, this work prompts us to consider how images of women and their roles are constructed, disseminated, and internalized within society, and how the emotional weight of those constructions is carried across generations.