Untitled (Portrait of a Woman in a Hat) 1840 - 1900

This photograph of a woman in a hat is an albumen print on card, a popular format in the 19th century. The process involved coating paper with albumen, or egg white, making a smooth surface for detailed images. This was then contact-printed from a glass negative under sunlight. Notice the subtle sepia tones, a result of the developing process using gold chloride. The final print was mounted on a card, often embossed with decorative patterns. The albumen print offered a relatively affordable way to capture likeness, contributing to the democratization of portraiture. While professional photographers operated studios, the labor-intensive process highlights the broader context of photographic production and consumption. The rise of photography also challenged traditional art hierarchies, blurring the lines between craft, technology, and artistic expression. Looking at this image, we can appreciate how material choices and production methods shape the meaning of the artwork.