[Girl with White Off-the-Shoulder Dress] 1890s

Frederick Gutekunst made this albumen silver print, titled "Girl with White Off-the-Shoulder Dress," sometime in the late 19th century. It's a small portrait, yet it speaks volumes about the cultural conventions of the time. Photography in this era was rapidly evolving, becoming more accessible to the middle class. Portraiture, once the domain of the wealthy, became a means for families to document their lives. What's striking here is the girl's attire, the off-the-shoulder dress was perhaps an attempt to emulate the styles of high society, yet within the bounds of middle-class morality. The institutional history of photography is also relevant, with studios like Gutekunst's playing a crucial role in shaping visual culture. Historical records, fashion archives, and studio ledgers are key to understanding this image more fully. The meaning of this photograph is tied to the social and institutional context in which it was produced and consumed.