Portret van een vrouw, aangeduid als Mme. Goëau Brissonier 1878 - 1895

This undated portrait of Madame Goëau Brissonier was created by Nadar. The dimensions are intimate, height 104 mm, width 62 mm. The oval frame immediately recalls traditional portraiture, yet the flatness of the photographic medium challenges the depth and texture typically sought in painted portraits. The sepia tones drain the image of vibrant color, focusing our attention on the subject’s pose and expression. Nadar's choice to present Mme. Goëau Brissonier in such a direct, unadorned manner brings forward questions of representation. Photography, with its indexical relationship to reality, destabilizes the established codes of portraiture. The photograph doesn’t just capture an image; it freezes a moment in time, inviting a semiotic reading of dress, posture, and gaze. The lack of idealization and overt symbolism suggests a shift towards a more objective portrayal. It is through these formal choices that Nadar’s photograph invites us to reconsider the relationship between image and reality.