Portret van een oudere vrouw 1860 - 1880

Peter Carstensen created this portrait of an older woman using photography, a relatively new medium in the 19th century. Photography allowed for new forms of representation. The portrait captures a sitter who embodies aspects of both privilege and constraint. Seated formally, she displays the accoutrements of middle-class life: an ornate chair, a book, and a decorative bonnet. Yet, her aging face and plain dress offer a contrast to the idealized images of women common at the time. She has a kind, careworn expression. Carstensen offers us a glimpse into the lived experience of women in his era. He suggests an alternative narrative of aging that acknowledges the complexities of female identity. The portrait makes one wonder about the social expectations placed on women, and the negotiation of identity in a rapidly changing world.