Portret van een vrouw Possibly 1913 - 1926

Jan Gottfried Stütner made this small photograph, titled 'Portret van een vrouw', sometime in the first half of the 20th century. The photo's size, the woman's simple dress, and the presence of a registration number at the top, all point to this being a formal portrait, likely taken for official purposes such as identification. In the early 20th century, photography was becoming increasingly accessible and thus widely used by institutions for record-keeping and surveillance. This portrait, therefore, speaks to the growing power of the state and its ability to document and categorize its citizens. The woman's direct gaze and unadorned appearance could be interpreted as a form of resistance against the objectification inherent in such bureaucratic processes. Further research into Stütner's life, the specific institution that commissioned the portrait, and the social context in which it was made could reveal even more about this image's complex relationship to power and identity. Ultimately, the meaning of this artwork is deeply tied to the social and institutional forces at play in its creation and use.