Portret van een jonge vrouw 1850 - 1880

This albumen print of a young woman was created by Eduard Schulz in the Netherlands. Photographs like this offered a new means of visualizing the self. In an era of increasing industrialization and urbanization, self-fashioning became a crucial way of navigating the shifting social landscape. Photography studios became sites where ordinary people could, through pose and dress, perform their desired social roles and craft their image. The popularity of carte-de-visite portraits in the mid-19th century speaks to the ways photography was used to negotiate identity. These small, easily reproduced images became calling cards that were exchanged among friends and family. The rise of the carte-de-visite coincided with a growing middle class and the expansion of consumer culture, reflecting the era's preoccupation with social mobility and status. Historians can consult studio records, fashion plates, and etiquette manuals to understand the cultural codes embedded in this image. By studying these resources, we can better grasp the intricate relationship between photography, identity, and society in the 19th century.