Portret van een meisje met lang haar c. 1880 - 1920

This is a photographic "Portret van een meisje met lang haar" by Jacobus Cornelis Kuijper. The portrait is composed of soft, muted tones that give it a delicate, almost ethereal quality. The girl's gaze is direct, but her expression remains neutral. It is the texture of the image that draws us in, the subtle grain and the way the light catches the ruffled fabric of her collar. In semiotic terms, this image operates as an index, a direct trace of the sitter. However, it also functions as a signifier of broader cultural codes. The girl's clothing and hairstyle reflect the fashion and social conventions of her time, while the very act of creating a portrait speaks to ideas of identity, representation, and the desire to capture a moment in time. Ultimately, the power of this portrait lies in its ability to evoke a sense of quiet contemplation, inviting us to reflect on the complex interplay between image, identity, and the passage of time.