Portret van een vrouw met een boek in de hand bij een tafel, aangeduid als Jane K. 1863 - 1866

This albumen print from 1863 by Thomas Duningham presents a woman identified as Jane K., holding a book. The portrait offers a glimpse into the cultural values and social expectations of women during that era, particularly regarding education and domesticity. Photographs like these were a relatively new medium in the 1860s, and their use in portraiture reflects a growing interest in capturing individual likenesses and preserving memories within a rapidly changing society. In Britain, the rise of the middle class created a demand for images that would reflect their aspirations. The book Jane K. holds could be an indicator of education and social status, but it is also part of a visual code; books are meant to reflect positively on the sitter. The image suggests the sitter had a degree of cultural capital to display. To better understand the photograph we need further research into the context in which it was produced, including studies into the history of photography and the history of female education.