Mlle Plunkett 1862

André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri made this albumen silver print of Mlle Plunkett in the 19th century. Disdéri, who patented the carte-de-visite format, democratized portraiture, making it accessible to a wider middle class. These multiple exposures allowed for a variety of poses, reflecting the sitter’s personality and social standing. Here, Plunkett is depicted in different poses, each carefully chosen to project an image of bourgeois respectability. The dark dress, while fashionable, speaks to the somber tone of Victorian society, where mourning and formality were ever present. Consider the gaze of Mlle Plunkett and how the advent of photography allowed women to participate in visual culture, albeit within the confines of societal expectations. As photography became more widespread, it also provided a means for individuals to craft and disseminate their own image. Photography then, much like now, was a powerful tool for self-representation, loaded with the potential to both reflect and subvert societal norms.