Portret van een zittende jonge vrouw, leunend op de leuning van een stoel 1867 - 1888

Johannes Offenberg created this photograph of a seated young woman leaning on a chair, using an albumen print. The image is mounted on card. Photography in the Netherlands, as elsewhere in the 19th century, became a powerful tool for constructing and reinforcing social identities. This small portrait, likely part of a larger album, would have circulated within a specific social network, reinforcing familial and social bonds. The woman's attire and pose convey a sense of bourgeois respectability. Note the carefully arranged hair, the elaborate jacket, and the delicate hand gestures. These details speak to the sitter's social standing and the values of the time. Understanding this image requires us to consider the social conditions that made such portraiture possible and desirable. Photographic archives, family letters, and social histories of the period can provide valuable insights into the lives and meanings embedded in this seemingly simple image.