Portret van een Parijse actrice, genaamd Judith 1873 - 1905

This stereoscopic card from the late 19th century by Anatole Pougnet, captures a Parisian actress named Judith. The doubled oval portraits are framed by an elaborate, symmetrical border, a visual echo that enhances the composition's inherent artificiality. The sepia tones give the piece a nostalgic warmth that is characteristic of early photography. Note how the visual symmetry created by the double portrait and the border destabilizes traditional notions of portraiture. Pougnet is not merely representing an individual, but presenting an image of an image, a sign of a sign. The actress's pose, mirrored in each frame, suggests performance and the construction of identity. The ornamentation and formal arrangement reflect the semiotic codes of the time, where image and representation were carefully controlled and deeply symbolic. This is a photograph that isn't just capturing reality, but creating it.