Man op een begraafplaats in Algiers 1863 - 1882

This photograph, Man in a Cemetery in Algiers, was made by Claude-Joseph Portier, sometime in the late 19th century. The photographic print, like other forms of mechanical reproduction, brought images to a wider public, influencing culture and politics. Consider the albumen process used in the making of this print, named for the egg whites which form a key ingredient. Thinly applied to paper and light sensitive chemicals, the resulting print yields a sepia color. The method of making the print would have required a prepared studio, and likely a dark room. Think about photography in this period: the way that its indexical nature seems to give a neutral record of what is there, but in fact, this photograph required posing, framing, and composing. This challenges the high-art/craft divide, asking us to consider the social and material conditions that have shaped both creative practices.