Portret van een vrouw met een opengeslagen boek 1880 - 1920

This is a portrait of a woman with an open book, made by the Bunce Bros. In this image, the sitter, a woman of color, stands next to a plinth, upon which an open book rests. As we observe this image, we might consider the history of portraiture and how access to literacy and education has often been mediated by both gender and race. This image, in its own way, challenges the traditional exclusions embedded in the history of art. Here, the book acts as a symbol of knowledge and perhaps empowerment. The woman’s gaze is direct, confident, and confronts the viewer. Is she inviting us to consider her thoughts, her perspective? The lace at her collar suggests formality, while the book underscores an intellectual sensibility. This photograph provides a glimpse into a moment of self-representation, an intimate and intriguing encounter frozen in time.