Portret van een vrouw met muts, gelijkend op Friese kap 1867 - 1878

Pieter Vlaanderen captured this portrait of a woman, likely in the 1860s or 70s, using the then-new technology of photography. In this portrait, the sitter is formally posed. Her traditional Frisian cap speaks to regional identity and cultural heritage. But photography, even then, was never a neutral medium. This image represents a carefully constructed vision of womanhood, one that balances tradition with the emerging possibilities of photographic representation. Consider the woman's expression and posture. What do they convey about the subject's sense of self, and the role of women in 19th-century Frisian society? How might this image affirm or challenge prevailing social norms? This photograph invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between identity, representation, and the ever-evolving technologies that shape our perception of one another.