[Elderly Lady Sitting] 1854 - 1856

This is a photograph of an elderly lady, made in France by Louis-Pierre-Théophile Dubois de Nehaut, likely sometime in the mid-19th century. Photography during this period was gaining traction as a tool for documentation and portraiture, but it was also heavily influenced by the established conventions of painting. Notice how the composition and the subject's pose resemble painted portraits of the time. The woman's clothing and accessories, like her lace bonnet and patterned shawl, speak to her social status and age. The photograph offers a glimpse into the rigid social hierarchy of 19th-century France, where one’s position was often telegraphed through carefully constructed images. The rise of photography democratized portraiture to some extent, but it also reinforced existing social norms. Historians consult sources like fashion plates, social etiquette manuals, and census records to understand how photographs like this operated within the cultural landscape. The photograph offers insight into the aspirations and self-presentation of the French middle class and the evolving technologies that shaped their world.