Portret van een jonge vrouw 1882 - 1914

This is Hendrik Jonker’s small portrait of a young woman. Although undated, its style suggests it was made sometime in the late 19th century. What can we discern about this woman’s life from her portrait? Photography in the 19th century became a tool for memorializing loved ones, especially when painted portraits were reserved for the wealthy. Here, the sitter is dressed in what appears to be a dark, ruffled dress with a decorative brooch, her expression is reserved, and she is seated in a formal pose. The trappings of middle-class life are visible, yet her gaze drifts off, perhaps hinting at an interiority, or a life beyond the performance of bourgeois norms. The photograph exists both as a testament to the sitter's existence, and as an encoding of social standing and personal identity, all framed within the gaze of the photographer.