Portret van een onbekende non, zittend aan een bureau 1874 - 1887

This is a photograph of an unknown nun, taken in Amsterdam by Albert Greiner, a carte-de-visite, a calling card. It’s worth pausing to consider the material of photography itself. The image is a direct product of light hitting a chemically treated surface, rendering this not as an artistic interpretation, but as a trace of reality itself. This was revolutionary at the time. Photography democratized portraiture, making images like this affordable to a wider range of people. In this context, the nun’s profession is significant. She’s chosen a life of service and devotion, a choice often made by those seeking an alternative to the prevailing materialist culture. Her dress signals a rejection of worldly concerns, and her rosary speaks to a life of prayer and contemplation. The image then invites reflection on how technological advancements intersect with personal identity and social values. It blurs the lines between the material and spiritual, the individual and the collective, inviting us to consider the complexities of faith and modernity.