Portret van een oude vrouw met muts, staand bij een stoel 1862 - 1863

This small photographic print, made by Maes & Michaux, captures an elderly woman in elaborate dress, standing next to a chair. Photography in this era was a chemically intensive and painstaking process, far removed from our digital snapshots. Each print was a result of careful preparation and skilled execution, demanding a dedicated studio space and specialized knowledge. Consider the woman's gown, likely made of a patterned fabric sourced from industrial looms, indicative of the era's burgeoning textile production. The lace trim on the photographic card itself hints at the intricate handwork that still punctuated the age of industrialization. This image encapsulates a moment in time defined by shifting modes of production, where the handmade and the machine-made coexisted, shaping both the material world and our understanding of it. Paying attention to these material details allows us to appreciate the complex social and technological landscape that gave rise to this seemingly simple portrait.