Portret van twee onbekende jonge vrouwen 1872 - 1879

This is a photograph of two unknown young women, made by Benjamin Sanders, a studio photographer working in Groningen, Netherlands, in the second half of the 19th century. The image is printed on a carte-de-visite, a small paper card. Photography, especially portraiture, was still quite a new technology at this time. A great deal of work went into creating such an image, in the darkroom. The process was a skilled tradition involving optics, chemistry, and printing. Photographers had to know how to manipulate light, develop solutions, and produce a high-quality final print. The rise of commercial studios such as Sanders' was significant in democratizing the art of portraiture. Suddenly, those outside the aristocracy could commission images of themselves and their loved ones. This small card, then, is more than just a picture. It's a material record of social change and the birth of a mass medium. Consider this photograph as an artifact, documenting the intersection of artistry, technology, and everyday life.