Portret van een man met snor en baard 1897 - 1902

This mounted photograph, by Guillame Maximilien Zimmermann, presents a man with a distinguished moustache and beard. Though photography might seem purely a product of technology, it’s important to remember the hand in the making. The photographer would have carefully selected the pose and lighting, directing his subject to achieve a specific effect. The final print, carefully mounted, shows the sitter in the best possible light. Consider, too, how the photograph would have been received. In an era before digital images, this was a precious object, a durable representation of a loved one or an important person. It would have been displayed with care, perhaps in a frame or album, becoming a treasured artifact over time. Photographs like these reflect the democratization of portraiture, as technical advances lowered the cost, and increased the production and consumption of images. By examining the materials and production of this photograph, we gain a deeper understanding of its cultural significance, and its role in shaping our understanding of the past.