Portret van Aurélien Scholl 1867 - 1875

Editor: This is "Portret van Aurélien Scholl," taken sometime between 1867 and 1875, maker unknown, and using photography. There's a tangible formality to it – the posed stance, the buttoned jacket...it's very much of its time. How might we unpack this image? Curator: Well, let’s consider photography in the 19th century. The process was cumbersome, labor-intensive. Think about the materials: glass plates, chemical baths, darkrooms. And for the sitter, long exposure times meant stillness was key; what did this do to shape notions of identity captured by these photographic means? Editor: It makes sense that photography’s materiality would affect the final work so deeply! But that stillness also contributes to a sense of timelessness in many older photos... Curator: Exactly. Then consider who Aurélien Scholl was. He likely inhabited a world increasingly mediated by industrial production and evolving class structures. He would have consumed many photographic images as they entered the marketplace, and in commissioning his own portrait, he's playing a game of both reflecting status and actively taking part in industrial economies of photography and leisure. Is his pose or garment chosen or directed? Editor: That really changes my understanding. It's not just a simple portrait; it's part of a much larger network of production, consumption, and even the construction of identity. And thinking about all those unseen hands and materials... Curator: Precisely. By shifting focus from a sole artistic genius to the broader context, we start to understand how art, even something as seemingly straightforward as a portrait, is enmeshed within specific societal frameworks. Editor: Thanks for opening up that lens. I never really considered how something like photography can involve so many different steps that have implications on culture. Curator: Thinking through that process makes all the difference!