Portret van koningin Sophie Maria Victoria van Zweden 1890 - 1903

This portrait of Queen Sophie Maria Victoria of Sweden, was created by an anonymous photographer using photographic materials and processes. Photography, a technology born of the industrial era, transformed portraiture, making it more accessible than painted likenesses. The choice of photographic materials influences the image’s texture, weight, and monochrome palette, all contributing to the image’s formality. The portrait also speaks to broader social issues of labor, politics, and consumption: the skilled labor involved in creating photographic materials, the politics of royal representation, and the consumption of images in a rapidly modernizing world. Consider the implications of the queen's adornments - the tiara, jewelry, and decorations - all meticulously captured through the lens. These elements required the skills of numerous artisans, from jewelers to metalworkers to seamstresses, all contributing to the Queen's regal image. This portrait of Queen Sophie invites us to reflect on the ways in which photography democratized portraiture and its role in shaping perceptions of power and identity.