Isabel Wachenheimer in jurk met motief van gestreepte banen, gezeten op een stoel met haar arm op de leuning van een balkon 1946 - 1958

This photograph shows Isabel Wachenheimer, in a striped dress, sitting on a balcony chair. The lack of information about the photographer and exact date, makes it hard to place this photograph firmly in its socio-cultural context, but we can attempt to do so. The photograph's visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations suggest a mid-20th century setting. The dress and hairstyle speak to the fashion of the 1940s or 1950s. This was a period marked by post-war rebuilding and shifting social norms, particularly for women. The setting on a balcony, with urban construction in the background, hints at a society undergoing modernization and expansion. Without knowing the photographer’s intentions or Isabel’s personal history, we can only speculate on the image's meaning. However, by consulting archives, fashion history resources, and social histories of the mid-20th century, we might better understand the photograph as an artifact of its time.