Portret van Anna Byström 1874 - 1890

This portrait of Anna Byström was made by Gösta Florman, using the techniques of photography of his era. Photographs like this offer a fascinating intersection of art and industrialization, and a democratization of portraiture. Before photography, only the wealthy could afford to have their likeness captured in a painted portrait, but the advent of photography meant that ordinary people could have their image preserved for posterity. The rise of photography as a means of portraiture also impacted painting, with some artists turning away from realism and towards abstraction. The process involved skilled labor in the studio, but also the industrial production of photographic materials. What was once reserved for the elite became more accessible, changing our relationship to representation. The rise of photography also led to a new visual culture, in which images became increasingly important in shaping our understanding of the world. This portrait reminds us that even seemingly simple images are the product of complex social and technological forces.