Portret van een Chinese jongeman 1860 - 1885

Editor: So this is Raimund von Stillfried's "Portret van een Chinese jongeman," taken sometime between 1860 and 1885. It's a photograph, and there's something about the sitter's direct gaze that really holds my attention. What stands out to you about it? Curator: For me, the compelling aspect lies in unpacking the layers of production. Consider the albumen print, the photographic process itself. This was cutting-edge technology in its time, a Western invention brought to bear on capturing a likeness from Qing Dynasty China. Think about the photographer’s studio, the labor involved in creating these images – from preparing the chemicals to posing the sitter. Editor: That's fascinating. It makes me consider how different photography was back then from now. How would you say the historical context affected the work? Curator: It’s impossible to separate this portrait from the context of colonial expansion and trade. Von Stillfried, a European photographer, is essentially documenting, and perhaps exoticizing, a subject within a system of unequal power dynamics. Who commissioned this work, and for what purpose? The photograph isn’t simply an objective representation but is tied into a market of image production, isn’t it? Editor: It’s true; there is no innocent eye. Considering that material exchange puts the work in a completely new light. What do you find particularly telling? Curator: Look closely at the man's clothing – the fabric, the buttons. What do these details tell us about his social standing and the economy of material goods at the time? Editor: It's clear there's so much more to this portrait than meets the eye. This has made me really think about the forces at play when this image was created. Curator: Precisely. By looking at the means of production and consumption we can move beyond surface appearances.