Portret van een vrouw met muts en paraplu 1895 - 1914

Louis Fraenkel made this small photograph, *Portret van een vrouw met muts en paraplu*, at an unknown date. This portrait invites us to consider the conventions of representing women in photography and the nuances of identity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The woman's attire signals a certain social status, her hat and fur-trimmed coat speaks to middle-class aspirations of modesty and respectability, while the umbrella could be a sign of her independence. Yet, she stands rigidly, constrained by social expectations. The photograph, with its sepia tones and formal composition, evokes a sense of nostalgia, inviting us to reflect on the lives of women in a bygone era. What does it mean to capture someone's image? This photograph preserves a moment in time, but it also opens up questions about representation, agency, and the gaze. As we contemplate this woman's image, let us consider the stories it tells and the silences it holds.