Portret van een man 1860 - 1880

This is an albumen print by Johannes Ephraim. This photographic printing process, popular in the 19th century, involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, creating a surface on which a negative could be exposed to light. The resulting image, like this portrait, has a distinctive sepia tone and a subtle, almost ethereal quality. The surface is smooth and reflective, giving depth to the image. The albumen process was part of a wider shift towards mass production in the visual arts. It allowed for the relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction of images, making photography accessible to a wider audience. It was a far cry from painting a portrait, which was usually reserved for wealthy individuals. By focusing on the material and the process, we can better understand the historical context of the artwork and its relationship to broader social and economic trends.