Portret van een zittende vrouw met muts met oorijzers 1858 - 1890

Curator: This compelling photograph, "Portret van een zittende vrouw met muts met oorijzers," was created by A. Böeseken sometime between 1858 and 1890. It's a striking portrait, very typical of the era. Editor: There's a wistful, almost resigned air about her. The severe framing, the dark tones offset by the stark white lace of her cap... it's a study in contrasts. Makes me wonder what she's thinking. Curator: That lace cap is quite telling actually. It signifies both status and regional identity. The "oorijzers," or iron side pieces, were part of traditional Dutch headwear, varying from region to region. Böeseken captured not just a face, but a whole culture encoded in dress. Editor: Absolutely, it’s like a frozen moment of Dutch identity. And look at her hands! Clasped so tightly on the chair—is it tension, anticipation, boredom, or just how people posed then? There's a story in those fingers. Curator: Photography then was a significant occasion. The subject would want to project respectability and self-possession, in part explaining this static pose. The stern demeanor was partly performative but there is also that implicit relationship between photographic gaze and psychological experience. Editor: I find that fascinating – the sitter presenting herself according to codes, but the photographic eye manages to also reveal something truer…more human perhaps? Despite the period conventions there’s an undeniable presence here. I imagine her laughing sometimes or yelling! Curator: Indeed, and it's through studying these photographic markers of identity and social position that we get a deeper understanding of the lived experience of that time, of the evolution of societal norms. Editor: Looking at it now, the image makes me feel rather small and aware of a whole lineage, all these faces just looking through me from their photographic frames. It has an undeniable emotional charge that makes time almost irrelevant. Curator: Well, I'm happy it provoked such thoughts, prompting such a deep consideration, hopefully something for our listeners to hold onto as well. Editor: It is definitely some kind of portal to be sure. I really love this old photo.