Portret van een meisje voor een kamerscherm c. 1870 - 1895

This portrait of a girl in front of a folding screen was created by Photographie Generale. The sepia tones and composition evoke a sense of a bygone era. Notice how the girl's figure, dressed in a light-colored dress, is framed by the ornate, dark lines of the folding screen. Her pose, with hands gently touching the screen, suggests a delicate balance between presence and absence. The screen itself features a painted landscape, creating a layered effect that blends the real with the pictorial. The interplay of textures, from the soft fabric of the dress to the elaborate carving of the screen, adds depth to the image. The photograph captures a moment of stillness, yet invites us to consider the constructed nature of identity and representation in portraiture. It’s a fascinating meditation on how we use settings and props to create meaning.