Twee vrouwen bevestigen een hoed op een pop before 1896

Constant Puyo made this photograph of two women fitting a hat on a mannequin in the late 19th or early 20th century. The image hints at the changing role of women in Western society at that time. We see women engaged in commerce, perhaps working in a millinery or dressmaking shop. It reflects the burgeoning opportunities for women in urban economies. Photography as a medium also played a role in documenting these social shifts, capturing scenes of everyday life and labor that might have gone unrecorded in earlier eras. To fully understand the context, one could research the history of women in business during this period, explore the evolution of fashion and its impact on female employment, and examine the role of photography in shaping perceptions of women's work and social status. The photograph thus serves as a window into a specific moment in social history, reminding us that art is always contingent on its socio-political and institutional context.