Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1878

This photograph of an unknown woman was taken by Charles Binger in his studio in Haarlem, Netherlands, in the late 19th century. The woman’s somber attire and lace headdress suggest that this may be a photograph taken in memoriam of a lost relative. By the mid-19th century, photography studios had become a common feature of urban life. The rise of commercial photography was closely linked to the growth of the middle class, offering an affordable means of memorializing family members. The sitter would have paid for the sitting and for any additional prints. The institutional history of photography is still being written. Early photographers often came from a background in the chemical sciences or printmaking trades. To better understand photography’s social role, one could research family archives, local newspapers, and business directories. In the end, art is contingent on both social and institutional contexts.