Portrait of a Woman in a Red Dress by Jacob Merkelbach - 1920-1930 - 272 mm × 215 mm Rijksmuseum Portrait of a Woman in a Red Dress by Jacob Merkelbach - 1920-1930 - 272 mm × 215 mm Rijksmuseum

Portrait of a Woman in a Red Dress

photograph • 272 mm × 215 mm
  • Jacob Merkelbach - April 29, 1877 - February 6, 1942 Jacob Merkelbach 1920-1930

Hello! Today is the third day of our new series “DailyArt presents Europeana Collection.” For the next four weeks on Mondays we will show you four pieces of art showing beautiful examples of fashion. Please enjoy!

Jacob Merkelbach, born in Amsterdam in 1877, learned the art of photography in his father's portrait studio. In 1913, he started his own studio which, from the beginning, drew a genteel clientele. Here, Amsterdam`s wealthy and well-known personalities allowed themselves to be captured on film. Merkelbach´s studio soon became famous, specializing in portrait photography of the Twentieth Century. Merkelbach’s pictures give a good impression of how people dressed in the 1920s. Women's roles in society evolved and major changes in clothing followed, such as the Flapper. Flappers were a "new breed" of young women, who flouted social and sexual norms, wore excessive makeup and bob haircuts, and danced the Charleston in short dresses.