Silhouette of Miss Donath 1877

Montague Abrahams made this silhouette of Miss Donath, likely in England, where he practiced as a "profile artist." The art of silhouette thrived in the 18th and 19th centuries. It offered a relatively affordable way for people to have their likeness captured, a service otherwise reserved for the wealthier classes who could afford painted portraits. But the silhouette also carries a heavier social meaning. It can be understood as a tool of social distinction, fixing the sitter within a hierarchy of social status. A silhouette is not merely a representation, but an assertion of social identity, a testament to one's place in the world. Consider the pose, the clothing, the overall presentation. What does it tell us about Miss Donath? Whose stories get told in the art world and why? These are the questions that art historians continually ask.