Portret van vermoedelijk een onbekende man c. 1862 - 1899

This small photograph of an unknown man was made by Willem Gerhardus Kuijer in Amsterdam. It is an albumen print – one of the earliest commercially viable photographic processes. Consider the labor involved. From silver mining to glass production for the negative, and the cultivation of hens for egg whites, all these steps were necessary for the final print. The final product is small, meant for intimate exchange. It sits within a decorated card, turning the photograph into a precious object. The material qualities of the print – its sepia tone, soft focus, and smooth surface – all contributed to the photograph's aesthetic appeal. This was a time when photography was still being understood as an art form, often in direct competition with painting. The photograph collapses the division between art and industry, revealing the complex entanglement of both.