Portret van een onbekende vrouw before 1899

This photogravure, known as "Portret van een onbekende vrouw" was created by Pirie Macdonald sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. Macdonald's career coincided with the rise of Pictorialism, a movement that sought to establish photography as a fine art. In "Portret van een onbekende vrouw" we see a woman who is unknown to us and therefore can only be read through the conventions of her presentation. We are given a glimpse of lace, a hint of velvet, and a gaze that attempts to meet ours. Consider the social context: photography at the time, was largely a privilege of the upper classes, making this woman likely a member of that elite. Macdonald ran in wealthy social circles, documenting prominent men of the era such as Theodore Roosevelt and Mark Twain. Who was she? What was her story? The lack of this knowledge allows us to consider the politics of representation and the silent roles women played in shaping cultural and artistic landscapes.