Twee portretten van een patiënt met het Parry–Rombergsyndroom before 1881

These photographs of a patient with Parry-Romberg syndrome were made by Ch. Martin. The image is a photogravure, a printmaking process using a copper plate that has been photographically etched, then inked to produce an image. Photogravure combines the craft of printmaking with the relatively new technology of photography. A time-consuming, labor-intensive process, it involves many precise steps, including coating the plate with a light-sensitive gelatin tissue, exposing it to a negative, and then etching it in an acid bath. The rich tonal range and fine detail of photogravure made it popular for artistic and scientific imagery. Here, it presents the clinical gaze with an almost painterly depth. The choice of this technique reflects a desire to lend scientific observation the weight and authority associated with fine art, even as it documents a medical condition. By understanding its making, we can appreciate how the image bridges the worlds of medicine, art, and craft.