Portret van een zittende man en een staande vrouw 1850 - 1900

Ernst Wolffram created this cabinet card depicting a seated man and standing woman; a popular format for portraiture during the late 19th century. Consider how gender roles are on display here: the man is seated, a signifier of his dominance and authority, while the woman stands slightly behind him, her hand gently placed on his shoulder. The setting, likely a photographer's studio, served as a public stage where individuals performed their social identities. How do the subjects use their clothing and posture to convey respectability? Are they successful? Despite the constraints of the photographic medium and societal expectations, portraits like these offer glimpses into the lives and relationships of ordinary people. They invite us to reflect on how we construct our own identities through visual representation.