Portret van Virginie Déjazet Possibly 1845 - 1854

This small photographic print of Virginie Déjazet was made with the 19th-century technology of chemical photography, in which light-sensitive materials captured a direct positive image. The sepia-toned photograph shows the texture of paper and light, sensitive chemicals that create a soft, diffused image, but also offers us insight into the sitter’s social standing. Note the costume, perhaps for a theatrical role, and the general air of bourgeois refinement. In its own way, this impression was as crafted as any painting or sculpture, albeit through a chemical rather than manual process. The rise of photography in the 19th century democratized portraiture but didn’t eliminate the human element entirely. Photographers had to understand their materials intimately, and control the setting, light, and pose of the subject. By appreciating the artistry involved, we can understand the medium as a product of both technology and human intervention.