Portret van een onbekende naakte vrouw 1840 - 1860

Bruno Braquehais produced this portrait of an unknown woman using the photography technique of his time. Braquehais worked in France at a time when photography was a relatively new medium, yet it already had a complex relationship with social norms. While photography offered the possibility of realism, it was also quickly co-opted by artistic and commercial interests. The erotic nature of this portrait raises questions about the female body, and its place as an object of male desire. The sitter’s pose may be read through the lens of art history, but her modern, almost defiant gaze seems to challenge the viewer. The image, like many others made at the time, circulated within a specific social milieu. Further research into the history of photography, as well as studies of gender, can illuminate this captivating image.