Portret van een onbekende vrouw met kind 1878 - 1886

Louis Robert Werner made this photograph of an unknown woman and child in Amsterdam, sometime in the late 19th century. Before the advent of digital photography, portraits like this one, known as carte-de-visite, served a crucial social function. These small, affordable photographs democratized portraiture, previously the domain of the wealthy, making it accessible to the middle class. They were often collected in albums and exchanged among family and friends, reinforcing social bonds and commemorating important life events. The formality of the subjects' attire and poses reflects the social conventions of the time, emphasizing respectability and status. The photographer's studio, as an institution, played a role in shaping these visual codes, presenting a controlled and idealized image of its sitters. To understand this photograph fully, a social historian might consult genealogical records, fashion history, or studies of photographic practices in the Netherlands. Such resources provide context, revealing the cultural values and social structures that shaped both the image and its reception.