Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1861 - 1889

William Unger produced this print, "Portrait of an Unknown Woman," using etching and drypoint techniques. Although undated, Unger was working in the Netherlands during the late 19th century when the project of national history was becoming a preoccupation of public institutions, including the art museum. This formal portrait presents an interesting dilemma, given that the sitter is unknown. What are we to make of the artist's choice to depict someone whose social standing cannot be verified? The artwork speaks to the cultural fascination with portraiture and the desire to capture and preserve individual identities. In terms of institutional history, this etching exemplifies the growing accessibility of art through printmaking. To understand this piece better, one might research the history of portraiture in the Netherlands, the role of women in Dutch society, and the development of printmaking as a democratic art form. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.