Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1862 - 1866

This portrait of an unknown woman was created by Billotte Frères using photography, a relatively new medium at the time. During the advent of photography, portraiture became more accessible to the middle class, allowing more people to participate in visual representation. Consider what it meant for a woman, potentially from this emerging middle class, to have her portrait taken. What does she want to convey? She is portrayed in a formal pose, her expression suggesting both confidence and perhaps a touch of melancholy. The photograph invites us to consider the narratives of women whose stories often remain untold, reflecting on the complexities of identity, representation, and historical memory. It is a poignant reminder of the individuals who lived, dreamed, and contributed to the fabric of society, even when their names are lost to history.