Portret van een jonge vrouw met lint in haar haren 1861 - 1900

Editor: Here we have "Portrait of a Young Woman with Ribbon in Her Hair," a photograph by Carel Eduard Westerborg, likely taken between 1861 and 1900, here at the Rijksmuseum. It feels very formal, and yet her gaze is surprisingly direct. What stands out to you? Curator: Oh, the gaze definitely pulls you in, doesn’t it? For me, it's like looking across time itself. These 19th-century portrait photos, they are so much more than records – they capture something essential about being human then…and now, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: I see what you mean! It's like a frozen moment, carefully constructed. It feels a world away. Curator: Exactly! Yet, if you imagine her world, just for a moment - her daydreams, anxieties, the social pressures…it brings her closer. She's caught in the amber of social convention, of course, the rigid pose, the prescribed clothing. But then, look at her eyes! A quiet rebellion, perhaps? What do you think that ribbon signifies? A touch of freedom? A bit of self-expression in a sea of conformity? Editor: It does add a little softness, a contrast to the darker tones. Almost like a secret. Curator: Yes! It softens the edges and whispers of an inner life that transcends the formal setting. Do you think about who would have treasured this photograph, you know, her sweetheart or a mother? This photograph would have been valuable and rare at that time. That simple fact is another kind of ribbon. Editor: That gives me so much more to think about— the power of a single image to freeze a moment and carry so many meanings across time. Curator: Exactly. These old photos aren't just relics; they're little time machines whispering secrets if we only listen.