Fotoreproductie van een portret van Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre naar Mayer & Pierson door Plant 1850 - 1860

Curator: This daguerreotype, created sometime between 1850 and 1860, is actually a reproduction of a portrait of Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre. It was based on a photograph by Mayer & Pierson, reproduced by Plant. Editor: He looks so weary, doesn't he? That pose, with his head resting on his hand… almost like he's thinking, "Oh, photography, what have I unleashed?" Curator: It’s fascinating to consider the layers of reproduction here. The portrait itself becomes a subject, its likeness mediated through different photographic practices and perhaps even artistic interpretations. The original, now copied. We can see here the early struggle of intellectual copyright. Editor: I wonder what Daguerre would make of Instagram today. It's also like peering into a different world. That collar! It seems terribly uncomfortable, though perhaps de rigeur back then. It has almost a geometric appeal, don’t you think? All sharp edges on the torso in contrast to the very relaxed face. Curator: Definitely a marker of its time. Photography, at this stage, was inherently linked to power, prestige and representation of social elites. Consider the social politics inherent in being able to afford such a portrait. This photograph can act as a vehicle into the mid 19th century French bourgeoise, allowing insight into gender constructs and societal constraints. Editor: Oh, absolutely! The clothing screams respectability. It's not a snapshot, is it? Each element is deliberate. Still, there's something so raw about those early photographic processes, something almost sculptural. I imagine they wanted to memorialize him while also romanticizing. Curator: Absolutely! The geometric is contained by an almost romantic feel. A visual reminder that all truths are ultimately mediated. Editor: Yes, quite. It all makes me wonder who *we* will chose to represent when reflecting on today in one or two centuries. Curator: A potent consideration! This daguerreotype prompts us to ask crucial questions regarding not only image ownership but image ontology. Editor: Indeed. A tiny glimpse with a lot of weighty background, I suppose.