Portret van een jonge man 1860 - 1880

This is a photograph by Franz Wilhelm Deutmann, a portrait of a young man. The photographic process involves complex chemistry, and this image would have been painstakingly created in a darkroom, using a combination of light and chemical treatments. The sepia tone gives the portrait a sense of age, but is also indicative of the materials that were readily available at this time. The process is integral to its social significance as photographic portraits democratized image-making, making it available to the middle classes. Consider how this portrait would have been seen alongside other forms of portraiture – particularly painting – and how photography was initially considered a craft before it was elevated to the status of fine art. The value lies not only in the image itself, but also in the labor-intensive process that produced it. Paying attention to materials, making, and context allows us to appreciate the full meaning of this artwork, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.