Portret van Euphrosine Asser-Oppenheim c. 1854 - 1855

Editor: Here we have a daguerreotype, a very early photograph, "Portret van Euphrosine Asser-Oppenheim," made around 1854-1855 by Eduard Isaac Asser. It’s striking how clearly we can see her, yet there's also a stillness, almost a melancholy. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: The power here lies in considering what it meant for a woman to have her image captured at this moment in history. Photography was relatively new, and daguerreotypes offered a kind of permanence previously reserved for the elite who could commission painted portraits. Who was Euphrosine Asser-Oppenheim? How did her social standing influence this portrait? Editor: Good question. I am assuming that because she was having a portrait taken that she must have been reasonably well off. Curator: Precisely. This photograph exists within a matrix of social power and gender expectations. While it might seem straightforward, it prompts us to think about who had access to representation and the messages conveyed through controlled poses and clothing. Consider the backdrop: Is it merely decorative, or does it symbolize a particular class or aspiration? What does her clothing say about her identity? Editor: I hadn't really thought about it that way. It is kind of strange to see a photo that is almost 200 years old. It is difficult to think of her as anything but upper class. Curator: It's a valuable exercise to try and see past the immediate visual impression, isn't it? To unpack the layers of meaning embedded within seemingly simple portraits. What new perspectives did you glean? Editor: I will look at photographs more carefully now to try and better determine what a photograph such as this really means about the person being photographed. Thank you.