Portret van een vrouw, zittend aan een tafel 1855 - 1865

Editor: Here we have "Portret van een vrouw, zittend aan een tafel," which translates to "Portrait of a Woman, Sitting at a Table." It's an albumen print, dating from about 1855 to 1865. The London School of Photography produced this photograph, and I find its somber tone so striking. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Well, imagine yourself in her place. Truly *feel* the weight of that magnificent skirt – I bet it could double as a parachute, or at least soften a fall from a moderately tall bookshelf! What was photography trying to achieve then, compared to a painted portrait? And why would a portrait at that time involve props like tables or curtains? Editor: It's a very posed portrait; it seems quite formal. Maybe that was a sign of the times. How does the presence of objects inform the viewer? Curator: I wonder if the book represents the woman's intellect, and the curtain... the curtain, darling, that's just pure theatre! But also consider that portraiture was becoming more accessible, and more diverse. In some ways it was competing with paintings but in some ways just capturing the very core of likeness and what that could represent for a family. Was it only about capturing appearance? Was it more about how families were hoping to present themselves to the world and, potentially, posterity? Editor: The way it democratized art in a new way is certainly a concept to consider. Thank you so much! I’m so eager to continue diving deep! Curator: Indeed! Always peel back those layers, sweet pea. Now, about that parachute-skirt... do you think she ever considered using it in an escape from boredom? I bet there’s a story there somewhere.