Portret van een onbekende jonge vrouw 1863 - 1875

This is a portrait of an unknown young woman by E. Cornelisse, made using a photographic process that captures a narrow range of sepia tones. The composition is vertically oriented and divided into thirds, creating a balance between the dark background and the lighter foreground where the subject is posed. Notice how the layering of the woman's dress creates horizontal lines that contrast with the verticality of her form and the backdrop, adding depth to the image. The use of texture, particularly in the ruffles of the dress and the tufted chair, softens the starkness of the photographic medium. The contrast in textures, juxtaposing the smoothness of her coat against the roughness of the chair, subtly conveys social and cultural meanings related to status and identity. The photograph invites us to consider the interplay between surface and depth, revealing how formal elements can create multiple layers of meaning. As we examine this image, we are prompted to recognize that meaning is not fixed.