Portret van een vrouw, staand bij een stoel 1857 - 1864

This photographic print of a woman standing by a chair was made by Wegner & Mottu. Without a date, the image speaks to the conventions of portraiture during photography's rise as a popular medium. Consider the pose: the woman's hand resting on the chair, her gaze directed at the viewer, and the careful arrangement of her dress. These visual codes reflect the desire to project respectability and status. In a society undergoing rapid industrialization, the rise of the middle class created a demand for affordable portraiture. Photography studios emerged to meet this need, democratizing access to image-making and challenging the traditional dominance of painting. As a historian, I'd want to research the studio of Wegner & Mottu and the social circles in which they operated. By looking at studio records, newspaper advertisements, and other archival sources, we can gain a richer understanding of this photograph within its social and institutional context.