Portret van een onbekende vrouw, mogelijk Irene With 1920 - 1940

Editor: This is "Portrait of an Unknown Woman, Possibly Irene With," made sometime between 1920 and 1940. It's a gelatin-silver print with watercolor and mixed media touches. What immediately strikes me is its ethereal quality—almost ghostly. What do you make of this piece? Curator: Well, the “ghostly” quality you point out is fascinating. It begs the question: Why? Is this aesthetic choice, born of experimentation with developing processes? Was it an attempt to evoke something spiritual, perhaps capitalizing on the popularity of spiritualism that resurged after the devastation of World War I? Editor: That's an interesting point about spiritualism. How do you think the social context influenced the way this portrait was created and interpreted? Curator: Mass bereavement shaped both personal and collective consciousness. The relative affordability of photography at the time also democratized portraiture; the emerging middle classes could adopt a custom formerly reserved for the elite, who hired painters. This, coupled with experimenting photographic methods created a potent medium through which to both remember the dead and represent anxieties and changing social roles, especially for women. Editor: So, you're suggesting the piece might be connected to how photography was evolving as a medium, reflecting societal shifts and perhaps even grief? Curator: Exactly. And thinking about Irene With as the possible sitter – how would the identification of the sitter, of her social position and artistic/ intellectual contribution shape your understanding? Does knowing more, change the piece's narrative for you? Editor: Definitely! It moves it from a general statement to a more specific, personal one. I’ll look into that artist. I had only considered it as an anonymous representation! Curator: Context always adds layers. It prompts further questions and unveils fresh narratives we didn't initially perceive.