Portret van een non 1860 - 1900

Editor: Here we have a photographic portrait of a nun by Mayer & Pierson, dating from somewhere between 1860 and 1900. There’s an incredible stillness to it, and it's all white, soft textures and muted light. What stands out to you? Curator: This piece raises interesting questions about the representation of women, and particularly women within religious institutions, in the 19th century. Photography, a relatively new medium at the time, became a tool for constructing and disseminating particular images of piety and female virtue. It almost serves as propaganda. Editor: Propaganda? How so? Curator: Consider the power dynamics at play. Who is commissioning and consuming these images? Were these nuns given a real choice in how they were represented? And what societal function does this idealised image of the cloistered woman serve? Were these photos accessible only to the Church, or did they circulate more widely? Editor: So, it’s less about capturing the individual nun, and more about solidifying the image of the ideal woman. It's like reinforcing expectations about their place in society. Curator: Precisely. And photography’s perceived realism lent a particular weight to these kinds of images. They weren’t just paintings; they were presented as objective records. Were all nuns serene, cloistered, and devoted? Editor: That’s a powerful point. So what I initially saw as serene is also something enforced and constructed. Food for thought! Curator: Indeed! Considering the social forces that shaped its creation adds new dimensions to this image.