Portret van een vrouw in zwarte jurk 1892 - 1906

This is a portrait of a woman in a black dress by Machiel Hendricus Laddé. The photograph, with its diminutive size and sepia tones, presents a formal composition. The woman is centrally placed; her gaze and posture directly engage the viewer. The subtle gradations of light and shadow, and the texture of her dress, create a complex interplay that defies simple interpretation. The image invites a formal analysis, one where the interplay between form and representation is central. Viewed through a structuralist lens, the photograph becomes a system of signs. The woman's attire, her reserved demeanor, and the tonal qualities of the image all function as codes. They reflect the social norms and representational strategies of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This portrait is not merely an aesthetic object. Rather, it represents the construction of identity and meaning through a combination of artistic and cultural conventions.