Portret van de heer Poujade c. 1860 - 1865

Editor: Here we have Robert Jefferson Bingham’s "Portret van de heer Poujade," an albumen print dating to around 1860-1865. It’s fascinating to see this early form of photography. What strikes me is the stiff pose and the inclusion of what looks like very ornate furniture. What can you tell us about it? Curator: It's compelling to consider the materials and processes that led to this image. Albumen prints required a meticulous coating process, each stage demanding specific expertise. Notice, too, the staging—the subject posed next to elaborate furniture. It's not merely decorative; it speaks volumes about the sitter's aspiration and economic position. What does the choice of backdrop material tell us about the availability and cost of resources during this period? Editor: That’s interesting; I hadn't thought about the resources. It gives the piece a completely different depth. Was there an established industry for portrait photography by the 1860s? Curator: Precisely. Photography democratized portraiture, to some extent. Before this, painted portraits were largely limited to the elite. How does this new accessibility affect the art market and the role of the artist? Did it shift power dynamics in portraiture and, in the broader art world, by influencing what subjects people began seeing as important? Editor: It’s a huge change to have photography available to more people. It's easy to think of it just as an image, but the entire system around it required all of this work. Thanks for expanding my view. Curator: Indeed. The finished product we see here only hints at the complex web of labor, capital, and technological innovation that made it possible. Examining the 'how' helps us understand the 'why.'