Portret van een zittende vrouw 1858 - 1890

A. Böeseken created this portrait of a seated woman, using photography, a relatively new medium at the time. Looking at this image, we see a woman, formally dressed, seated with an almost stoic expression. During this period, women's identities were often tightly bound by societal expectations related to domesticity and propriety. The woman’s posture and attire seem to reinforce these values, yet there's also a sense of self-possession in her gaze. Consider the power dynamics inherent in portraiture. Who is seen, how they are seen, and who is doing the seeing? This portrait provides a window into the representation of women during a time of significant social change. As photography democratized portraiture, it also offered new possibilities for self-representation. This photograph captures a moment of poised visibility, inviting us to reflect on the complexities of identity, representation, and the gaze.