Portret van een onbekende vrouw c. 1900 - 1920

This portrait of an unknown woman was made by Sander van der Zijl, a Dutch artist who lived between 1852 and 1935. Photography in the Netherlands, especially portraiture, blossomed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Photography studios popped up in cities and towns, and the emerging middle class used them to solidify and elevate their social status. This photographic print is a window into the aspirations of the bourgeoisie. The woman's modest yet elegant attire, high-necked blouse, and understated brooch speak to the values of respectability and refinement that were so important to the Dutch middle class. The relatively small size of the image suggests it was created to be kept as a personal memento. The subject's identity is lost to us. Yet through careful archival research, it might be possible to piece together a more complete understanding of her social world and cultural milieu. Art history provides the tools to understand the social and institutional contexts that shape artistic production and reception.