Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1873 - 1887

Editor: This is a photograph from between 1873 and 1887 entitled "Portrait of an Unknown Woman," by Godfried de Jong. It’s a gelatin silver print, and I’m struck by how simple and direct it is. What do you see in it? Curator: Well, let’s consider the context. Gelatin silver prints became the dominant photographic process during this period, enabled by industrial production. It allowed for mass production of images, making portraiture like this more accessible to the rising middle class. The 'unknown woman' becomes especially interesting here, doesn’t she? Editor: In what way? Curator: We should look closely at her clothes, and what those fabrics signify. How was this garment constructed? Was it hand-sewn or machine-made? The brooch, too—what material is it? Is it a precious stone or an imitation? This tells us about the social and economic standing of the sitter. Editor: I see. So it's not just about the artistic skill of the photographer, but also about understanding the material conditions that made this image, and this woman’s presentation of self, possible. Curator: Exactly! Think about the labour involved – the mining for the silver in the print, the labor of the seamstress who likely constructed her garments. How were these materials circulated? How did global markets impact this local photographic studio? Editor: So you’re saying by analyzing the materials, the process, we can actually uncover a whole network of production and consumption related to this one image. Curator: Precisely. It moves beyond simply admiring her portrait to understanding the social and economic systems that produced it. Editor: That's a much broader way to consider this photo, and so fascinating. I’ll definitely look at images differently from now on. Curator: Likewise; thank you for pointing out her simple yet direct look. I think I may have missed that otherwise.