Portret van een meisje 1860 - 1900

R. Griffiths created this portrait of a girl with photography, a relatively new technology, during a time when portraits were a luxury. The girl's dress and hair are styled in a way that speaks to a certain class status and adherence to societal expectations of appearance. In the 19th century, the act of sitting for a portrait was a statement of identity, a way of declaring one's place in the world. But what does it mean for a young girl? Is she participating in shaping her own image, or is she being molded into an ideal? The photograph, with its muted tones and small size, feels intimate. There's a vulnerability in her gaze, a sense of self-consciousness that transcends time. This image is more than just a record; it's a glimpse into the complex experience of girlhood, of being seen and trying to see oneself.