Portret van een jonge vrouw 1850 - 1890

This is a small portrait of a young woman by Tissier Aîné, using a photographic process that was still relatively new. Portraits like this one were often about presenting a certain image to society. During this period, a woman's value was often tied to her social standing and her potential as a wife and mother. This photograph, with its oval frame, and subdued tones, speaks to a desire for respectability and perhaps a certain level of modesty. The young woman's gaze is averted, as if to maintain privacy, yet her presentation is clearly intended for public viewing. What does it mean to capture an individual's likeness and distill it into a single image? How much of a person’s identity can be conveyed, and what aspects remain hidden? This image reflects both the possibilities and the limitations inherent in portraiture, inviting us to consider the complexities of identity, representation, and the ever-present gap between the self and its public persona.