Portret van een onbekend meisje 1865 - 1903

This charming photographic portrait, framed by De Lavieter & Co., is brought to life through the meticulous arrangement of tiny glass tesserae. The makers assembled thousands of these minute pieces to form delicate forget-me-nots, each one individually set to create a mosaic of remarkable detail. What makes this frame so compelling is the sheer labor involved. The creation of glass mosaic, known as micromosaic, dates back to ancient Rome, but became fashionable again in the 19th century as workshops scaled-up production to cater to a new tourist market. Consider the cultural context: the rise of photography, coupled with the rise of mass tourism and its associated souvenir industry. The frame gives prominence to the girl it surrounds, but the girl is not the whole story. The frame itself speaks to the democratization of image-making and artisanal craft. It invites us to consider the lives and skills of those who painstakingly assembled its myriad parts.