Portret van Louise van Hessen-Kassel, koningin van Denemarken 1850 - 1865

Georg Emil Hansen made this portrait of Louise of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark, using photography. This was a relatively new medium at the time. It’s worth remembering that in the 19th century, photography was as much craft as it was science, relying on expertise in chemistry and optics. The photographic print itself is quite small. Consider that a studio portrait like this would have been a luxury item, available to a relatively privileged class. You can see that level of society reflected in the sitter herself, with her expensive clothes and jewelry. The proliferation of photography through the 19th century coincides with the rise of both industrial capitalism and an expanding middle class. Photography was a means to capture likeness, but also to display social status. Looking at this image, we are reminded of the complex relationship between art, technology, and social class.