Portret van een onbekende vrouw bij een stoel 1885 - 1906

W.G. Kuijer & Zonen created this photographic print titled 'Portrait of an unknown woman by a chair'. The image is infused with the rigid social expectations of femininity of the time. This woman’s identity is shaped by the very act of portraiture, and in that, we can see traces of class, gender, and perhaps even aspirations of the sitter. Her gaze avoids direct engagement, perhaps reflecting the era's emphasis on modesty. Yet, her upright posture, fashionable dress with puffed sleeves, and elaborate hairstyle suggest a desire for self-expression within the confines of societal norms. She appears to be a middle class woman and her placement next to the chair symbolizes her domestic role. In some ways, she is trapped between asserting individuality and conforming to the aesthetic ideals of her time. This photograph offers a glimpse into the complexities of identity construction in an era defined by both rigid conventions and subtle acts of self-assertion.