Portret van een onbekende vrouw met sigaret before 1899

This photogravure, Portrait of an Unknown Woman with Cigarette, was made by Robert Demachy in France, sometime around the turn of the 20th century. It pictures a woman smoking, her face obscured by shadow and a wide-brimmed hat. The table with a bottle and cup suggests a moment of leisure, but also a hint of defiance. In its time, smoking was becoming associated with the image of the ‘new woman’, independent and challenging social norms. Demachy was a key figure in the Photo-Secessionist movement, which sought to establish photography as a fine art. So, what does this mean for a genre still struggling to prove its artistic merit? This image is less a straightforward portrait and more an exploration of photographic techniques to create atmosphere and mood, playing with light and shadow. Understanding art involves delving into the institutions, movements, and social contexts that shape its creation and reception. Examining sources like period magazines, exhibition reviews, and artist manifestos can reveal the complex interplay of social forces that gave rise to an image like this one.