Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1861 - 1890

Curator: Before us is a striking photographic portrait from the late 19th century, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The artist is recorded as Albert Greiner and the piece is entitled "Portret van een onbekende vrouw." Editor: The severe frame is my initial focus; the whole object reads very solemnly. The black metalwork has a substantial, almost grave-like weight to it, dominating the faded sepia tones of the woman's face. Curator: Yes, the ornate metal frame is certainly meant to be read. In the late 1800s, this kind of elaborate framing became quite fashionable, lending a sense of permanence and importance to photographic portraits as they were increasingly displayed within the domestic space. Editor: Fashionable maybe, but what’s fascinating to me is the materiality of this photograph. Think about the chemistry, the light, the meticulous process of capturing this image. Also the frame’s production. Metalworking on this scale involved workshops, skilled labour… this isn't simply some delicate, fleeting image. Curator: True. These photographic portraits marked a democratisation of sorts, offering people beyond the elite class an opportunity to preserve their image. These portraits helped establish middle-class identities as much as they honored them. Editor: And this raises so many more interesting material considerations. I'm curious about the class implications related to commissioning such metalwork. Did she have a voice in this design, or would she have taken what the local metalworker provided. Curator: Indeed. The mass production and accessibility of both photography and decorative metalwork like this also reflects a burgeoning consumer culture. Families wanted to display these testaments of their success and connections publicly. Editor: Precisely! By placing the portrait within an elaborately-wrought object, they signified status. But also remember, the tintypes and ambrotypes prevalent during this time degraded quite quickly if exposed. Metal helped protect the picture for time's endurance. Curator: The 'unknown woman’s' social identity in this portrait remains open for interpretation, her garments imply a solid middle-class status. Editor: What a thought-provoking combination: one woman, framed by her metal support and surrounded by socioeconomic narratives beyond what this mere picture reveals! Curator: Definitely food for thought. A silent witness speaking volumes on the era!