Portret van een zittende vrouw met muts 1860 - 1870

This photographic portrait by Wegner & Mottu captures a seated woman wearing a bonnet. The composition is structured around the interplay of light and shadow, which defines the sitter’s dress and facial features, giving the piece an overall sense of formality. The artist employs a semiotic system of dress and pose; the woman's attire and seated posture communicate status and societal role. The bonnet, detailed dress, and the ornamented chair all contribute to a narrative of identity. The subject, however, remains somewhat detached, her gaze not fully meeting the viewer’s, creating a sense of distance. Consider how the formal elements of the photograph—the sharp lines of the chair versus the soft curves of the dress, the controlled lighting, and the structured composition—intersect with cultural codes of representation and meaning. This interplay invites us to consider how photography, even in its early stages, functioned not merely as a record but as a constructed image imbued with social and personal narratives.