Portret van een zittende vrouw 1863 - 1892

This small photographic print of a seated woman was made by Thomas North. Photography in the 19th century involved complex chemical processes on materials like glass, metal, and paper. This is evident in the warm sepia tones, and the crisp detail achievable through this slow, deliberate approach to image-making. The woman's dress is important here too: its elaborate construction reveals a society where cloth production and dressmaking were increasingly industrialized. The striped pattern suggests the use of a mechanized loom. It also suggests access to consumer goods, and the economic means to commission a portrait. It's a mark of middle class status and the growth of a consumer society driven by industrial production. This photograph, therefore, is more than just a portrait. It's a material record of social and economic change, captured through the lens of a new technology that was reshaping how people saw themselves and the world around them.