Portret van Willem III, koning der Nederlanden 1855 - 1870

This is a portrait of Willem III, King of the Netherlands, created by André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri using photography, a relatively new medium in the 19th century. Photography democratized portraiture. While painted portraits were exclusive to the wealthy, photographic images made likenesses accessible to a broader public. Disdéri was at the forefront of this shift, pioneering the carte de visite – small, affordable photographs like this one. The materiality of this photograph speaks to its historical context. The sepia tones, the paper’s texture, and the precise framing all contribute to its aesthetic. The process involved careful arrangement of the subject, precise chemical processes, and skilled printing. Unlike painting or sculpture, photography relied heavily on technology and chemistry. The mass production of these images was only made possible by the rise of industrial capitalism. Understanding this photograph requires us to consider both its artistic composition and its social implications, blurring the boundaries between art, craft, and industry.