Portret van een man met een baard en een hoge hoed in de hand c. 1860 - 1865

This photograph was made by Mayer & Pierson, and it portrays a man with a beard and a tall hat in his hand. Photography in this period was about chemistry and optics; a carefully calibrated reaction to light. Early photography studios had to orchestrate conditions to maximize the available light. But it was also a business. The rise of the middle class created demand for images, just as industrialization was creating new modes of supply. What's compelling here is how those economic forces impacted the way people presented themselves. The sitter is wearing the uniform of a well-to-do man. He is holding the hat rather than wearing it, so we can see his face, and therefore assess his worth. In a sense, photography democratized portraiture. But it also formalized it, establishing new visual conventions that reflected social aspirations. By understanding these early photographic processes, we can understand the dynamic between technological innovation, labor, and the performance of identity.