Portret van een staande vrouw in jurk met hoofddeksel 1860 - 1900

This is Johann Schäfer’s petite portrait of a standing woman, the medium is unspecified, and the dimensions are 81 by 49 mm. The woman’s dark dress contrasts with the monochrome background. Her pose is formal, almost rigid. She is pictured from the waist up, her hands delicately placed as she looks to the side. The use of light and shadow is skillfully handled, creating depth and volume that accentuates the textures of her dress and head covering. Consider how the woman's clothing acts as a signifier of status and identity. The intricate patterns and fabrics are visual codes that speak to her social position and perhaps the values she embodies. The photograph's composition, with its clear framing and posed subject, reflects a desire to capture and preserve a specific image of womanhood. Note the interplay between the individual and her representation. The artwork invites us to contemplate the relationship between representation and reality.