Portret van een staande vrouw 1870 - 1899

This is J.B. Jasper’s ‘Portret van een staande vrouw,’ a photograph now held at the Rijksmuseum. The image presents a woman in a formal standing pose, her attire and the backdrop suggesting a certain social standing. Photography in the 19th century Netherlands was becoming increasingly accessible, but portraiture still carried connotations of status and self-presentation. The woman’s dress, the ornate column, and even the photograph itself, act as markers of identity, communicating her place within the social hierarchy. Historical archives, fashion studies, and photographic records can give us insight into the codes and conventions operating in this image. The photograph, seemingly a simple depiction, becomes a valuable document through which historians can explore the nuances of Dutch society and the public role of such imagery.