Portret van een kind staand bij een stoel 1874 - 1896

Cornelis Johannes Richardus Pels made this photographic portrait, likely in the late 19th century, using the wet collodion process. This technique involved coating a glass plate with chemicals, exposing it in the camera while still wet, and then developing it immediately. The resulting image, a collodion positive, is incredibly delicate, with a unique tonal range rendered visible through the precise timing of its development. The materiality of photography in this era, especially the dependence on darkrooms and specialized knowledge, added to its perceived value. The process also imbues the image with social significance. During the industrial era, photography democratized portraiture, making it accessible to a wider middle class. Prior to this, only the wealthy could afford to have their likeness captured in paintings. This image embodies a shift in cultural values, where the personal and familial became increasingly important, preserved through the then-cutting-edge technology of photographic chemistry. Considering photography as both a skilled craft and a product of industrial progress challenges any strict separation between art and industry.