Portret van een meisje, staand bij een rotswand 1865 - 1890

Ernst Wolffram made this small photograph of a girl standing by a rock face, though we don't know exactly when. The girl's traditional clothing is perhaps the key to understanding the picture's cultural context. Folk costumes were often worn to emphasize local and regional identities. In the 19th century, as modern transportation made it easier to travel, these costumes became both a way to preserve and a way to perform local identity. They could signal the wearer's origins, social class, and religious affiliations. Such photographs became keepsakes or calling cards used to communicate the owner’s place in the world. Historians can use sources like costume books, travel journals, and census records to research these images. Only by situating the image within the context of a specific time and place can we appreciate its full meaning.