Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1895 - 1908

This is a small portrait of an unknown woman, made with photographic print by E. v.d. Kerkhoff in the Netherlands. The image is a window into the social conventions of the late 19th century. Photography at this time was becoming increasingly accessible to the middle classes, offering new ways to record and perform identity. What can be considered are the politics of representation inherent in portraiture. The woman's clothing and hairstyle speak to specific social strata, offering clues about her position within the Dutch society of the time. The act of commissioning a portrait itself suggests a desire for social visibility and perhaps upward mobility. To fully understand this image, further research into Dutch social history, photographic practices, and the role of women in this period is required. This portrait reminds us that art is always embedded in a complex web of social and institutional relations.