Portret van Elisabeth Oldenberg 1883 - 1884

Friedrich Carel Hisgen made this photograph, Portret van Elisabeth Oldenberg, location and date unknown. This phototype is part of a series commissioned by Prince Roland Bonaparte, and is more than just a portrait; it's a document reflecting late 19th-century scientific racism and colonialism. The subject, Elisabeth Oldenberg, is presented in profile, a pose often used in anthropological studies to categorize and classify people based on physical features. Her identity is reduced to a specimen, her individuality stripped away. Bonaparte's project sought to create a visual archive, reinforcing a hierarchy of race rooted in pseudo-science, contributing to the dehumanization of non-European people. As you consider this image, reflect on the power dynamics inherent in its creation. What does it mean to have one's image captured and used in the service of a biased and oppressive system? And how do we, as viewers, grapple with the complex legacy of such images today?