Portret van een vrouw 1890 - 1920

This is A. Landré's portrait of a woman which presents us with the subject formally framed and centered. The subdued palette and soft tonal gradations lend a quiet, contemplative mood to the composition. The image is structured by a clear division between the dark backdrop and the lighter foreground, setting off the woman’s figure. Her pose, with a hand gently touching her face, introduces a diagonal line that softens the formality of the portrait and draws our gaze towards her expression. The open book adds a horizontal element that suggests intellect and introspection. Landré's formal arrangement of the photograph is in line with the portraiture of the time, but the softened edges of the composition hint at a move away from rigid representation. The muted tones and focus on texture over sharp detail create a space for individual interpretation, inviting us to consider the subject’s inner world beyond her social representation.