Portret van een meisje 1860 - 1900

A. Bouet created this portrait of a girl, a small photograph mounted in an album page. This image offers a glimpse into the intimate world of childhood at a time when photography was becoming increasingly accessible. Consider the role of photography in shaping identities, particularly for women and children. During this period, portraiture captured likeness, but also communicated social status and gender roles. The young girl, dressed in white, is presented as an emblem of innocence, an ideal deeply embedded in the era’s cultural values. How does the act of photographing, displaying, and preserving her image reflect broader societal expectations and aspirations for young girls? As you contemplate this tender image, think about the stories and the lives it represents, and how the simple act of preservation shapes our understanding of the past.