Portret van een onbekende vrouw bij een fauteuil 187 - 1876

Antoni Verryck-Fleetwood made this photograph of an unknown woman, a portrait in the carte-de-visite format. These small photographs gained popularity in the mid-19th century, becoming a widely accessible form of portraiture. Looking at the image, we see a woman posed formally next to a fauteuil. The cultural references here point towards the burgeoning middle class of Europe, keen to imitate the traditions of aristocratic portraiture. During this period photography studios opened up everywhere, creating what we might call a ‘democratisation’ of the portrait. The lack of further information about the woman pictured reminds us that the democratization of portraiture still left many sitters unknown. Art historians can study these photographs and uncover details of clothing and furniture, learning about the fashions and lifestyles of the time. This kind of visual record is invaluable for understanding the social fabric of the past.