Portret van een lezend meisje, zittend op een stoel met een hoed op schoot 1860 - 1880

This portrait of a reading girl was produced by the photographic firm Elliott & Fry. While photography can seem like a purely technical medium, the sepia tones of this print resulted from a complex chemical process. In this image, light-sensitive materials were carefully manipulated to capture the sitter's likeness. The final print, mounted on card stock, shows a controlled tonal range. Photography in this period required not only expertise but also expensive equipment and materials. The subject’s clothing also speaks to this expense. The commercialization of photography made portraiture accessible to a wider audience. Consider the labor involved, from manufacturing the chemicals to operating the camera. Even this seemingly straightforward image reflects a complex network of production and consumption, challenging our notions of what constitutes craft in the age of mechanical reproduction.