Portret van een zittende vrouw 1865 - 1888

This photograph of a seated woman was made by Herbert van Houwelingen, sometime in the mid-19th century. Photographs like these served a specific social function. As painted portraits became increasingly expensive and elaborate, photography offered a more affordable means of commemorating oneself or one's family. The woman's dress and posture also indicate the social norms of the time, such as the emphasis on modesty and decorum. Her upward gaze suggests a sense of purpose and self-assurance. This image speaks to the democratizing effects of photography in 19th-century Europe, but also to the persistence of older class distinctions. Images like these would have been circulated amongst family members, acting as material links across distance and time. To better understand this work, we might consult photographic journals, family archives, and social histories of the period. These kinds of sources allow us to consider photography's impact on social life and the role of visual representation in shaping individual and collective identities.