Portret van een staande vrouw bij een kast 1863 - 1875

G. and R. Lavis created this portrait of a woman standing by a cabinet with an open mirror, using a photographic technique that gained popularity in the 19th century. Here, in this formal portrait, the woman's positioning and attire speak volumes about the societal expectations of women at the time. Encased in a voluminous dress that subtly obscures any natural body shape, the woman is posed adjacent to a vanity, an intimate object in contrast to the public display of this portrait. This tension encapsulates the Victorian ideal of women's beauty and domestic role. With the advent of photography, images like these captured and reinforced particular standards of beauty and femininity. The portrait provides a glimpse into the complex intersections of identity, representation, and societal norms that framed women's lives during this period.