Portret van een jong meisje in een jurk 1897 - 1904

This is a photograph titled "Portret van een jong meisje in een jurk" by Alex van Dijck. Although undated, we can assume it was made in the Netherlands sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This simple photographic portrait offers us insight into the culture of representation and the performance of social class. The girl’s formal dress and carefully arranged pose speak to the self-conscious construction of identity within the emerging middle class. The rise of photography provided new ways to document and disseminate social norms. Van Dijck's choice of subject matter indicates a cultural interest in the lives of children and an implicit affirmation of middle-class values. To further understand this image, one might delve into archives of photography studios from this period, examining their business practices, client demographics, and the evolving aesthetics of portraiture. The meaning of art is always reliant on social and institutional context.