Portret van een vrouw 1864

This albumen print of a woman is pasted into a photograph album and was made by Bernardus Bruining in the Netherlands. This unassuming portrait can tell us much about the social conventions of photography and portraiture in the mid-19th century. We can tell from the small size and album setting that this was a private, domestic image, probably a memento of a loved one. This oval portrait is neatly framed inside an album page. While portraits in painting had long been the preserve of the wealthy, photography democratized the format, allowing the middle classes to participate in the culture of commemoration and display. The woman's stern expression and plain dress reflect the sober values of the Dutch bourgeoisie. This burgeoning social class fostered a sense of national identity centered around family and home. Understanding this image requires historical research, from photographic journals to conduct books. Art is not made in a vacuum, but through institutional and social structures.