Portret van een meisje, leunend op de leuning van een stoel 1866 - 1896

This is a photograph by Louis Robert Werner, a portrait of a girl leaning on the back of a chair. Photographs like this one were made possible by advances in chemistry and optics. These innovations democratized image-making, placing portraiture within reach of the middle class. The process involves coating a surface with light-sensitive materials. After a period of exposure, a latent image is developed through chemical means. Photography emerged as both a science and a craft. The photographer needed technical skills and an artistic eye for composition and lighting. Studios sprung up offering professional services to a public eager to capture their likeness. Consider the labor involved; from the manufacture of equipment and materials to the operation of the studio and the darkroom work, photography created new jobs and industries. The photograph, once a novelty, became a ubiquitous commodity, transforming how we see ourselves and the world around us. Understanding this wider context helps us to appreciate the cultural significance of images like this one.