Portret van dichteres Henrietta Maria Anna Meijer before 1866

This is Matthijs Adolph Conen's photograph of the poet Henrietta Maria Anna Meijer. Without a date, we must consider the socio-historical context in which both artist and sitter lived. Conen, working in the mid-19th century, likely operated within a society that held specific expectations about gender and representation. Henrietta was a poet in a time when women’s voices were often marginalized or confined to certain subjects. This image, small as it is, becomes a powerful assertion of identity. What does it mean for a woman to have her portrait taken in this era? What does it mean for her to be a poet? The photograph could be seen as a way for Henrietta to claim space in a world that often tried to silence her. It invites us to reflect on the courage required to pursue one's creative passions in the face of societal constraints. It serves not just as a record, but as a testament to a life lived against the grain.