Portret van Frans Jozef I, keizer van Oostenrijk 1860 - 1880

This portrait of Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria, was made by Ludwig Angerer using the photographic processes of the time. Photography in this era was a complex craft, with practitioners carefully preparing glass plates with light-sensitive emulsions. The material of photography, with its capacity to capture a likeness, rapidly changed how people saw themselves and others. In this portrait, we see Franz Joseph in a carefully staged setting, surrounded by symbols of his power and wealth. The photograph itself, however, represents a different kind of power – the burgeoning power of industry and technology to represent and disseminate images. Consider the amount of work involved in producing this image: the photographer’s technical skill, the sitter’s time and status, and the resources required to create and distribute the final product. The photograph democratized portraiture, making images accessible to a wider audience, but it also reinforced social hierarchies by capturing and celebrating the elite. It’s a powerful reminder that even seemingly simple images are the result of complex social and economic forces.