Portret van een vrouw 1883 - 1931

J.C. van der List created this photograph titled 'Portret van een Vrouw'. Photographs such as this provide valuable insights into the cultural and social norms prevalent in late 19th and early 20th century Europe. We can see how notions of beauty and respectability were communicated through the sitter's clothing, hairstyle, and overall demeanor. The subject’s modest attire, neat hairstyle and the carefully arranged brooch point towards a society that valued restraint and decorum. The rise of photography coincided with significant social and political shifts, including the emergence of a middle class eager to assert its status through portraiture. Photography democratized portraiture, making it accessible to a wider segment of society, while also providing opportunities for women artists to enter the field. To fully understand a piece like this, the art historian would need to examine the social, economic, and technological context in which the photograph was produced.