Portret van een onbekende Groningse student in maskeradekostuum 1896 - 1900

Jan Frederik Blöte, a photographer and retoucher in Groningen, created this cabinet card. It is an albumen print. In this photographic process, a paper support is coated with light-sensitive emulsion, and the details are meticulously captured in monochrome, then sepia toned. Notice the surface quality and the warm brown tone, achieved through careful chemical development. The photograph is then adhered to a stiff card. This format became extremely popular at the time for its relative ease of production and affordability. The photographer’s stamp is added as the final flourish. This particular photograph captures a student dressed in masquerade costume. While seemingly a straightforward portrait, it represents a fascinating intersection of photographic technique, social identity, and the burgeoning culture of image production in the late 19th century. The card format allowed for widespread circulation, contributing to the democratization of portraiture and visual culture.