Portret van een onbekende vrouw, aangeduid als mevrouw V.d. Ven-Roelofse 1856 - 1879

This small photograph was made by Carl Rensing, and it pictures an unknown woman, possibly Mrs. V.d. Ven-Roelofse. Printed on paper using photographic chemistry, the image itself is rather ordinary, but the making of it, and its social context, are anything but. Photography in the 19th century democratized portraiture, and its chemistry, optics, and mechanics, were at the cutting edge of industrial development. Consider all that went into this seemingly simple image: the mining of silver for the light-sensitive emulsion, the grinding of the lens, the labor of the sitter who had to remain still for an extended exposure, and even her dress, which involved textile manufacture, global trade, and the hard work of a seamstress. Looking closely, you can see how the surface of the photograph is not uniform, with slight imperfections and variations in tone; these give the artwork a unique, handcrafted feel despite its industrial origins, blurring the boundaries between art, craft, and the wider world of making.