Portret van Cornelia Maria Bon 1883 - 1888

Louis Robert Werner created this portrait of Cornelia Maria Bon sometime in the 19th century using photographic techniques. It's a modest-sized albumen print, a process that was highly popular at the time, requiring careful coating of paper with egg white and silver nitrate. Consider the labor involved: from preparing the chemicals to meticulously printing the image. This wasn't a quick snapshot, but a carefully constructed representation. And though photography democratized portraiture to some extent, allowing access to those outside the wealthy elite, it still involved significant cost and expertise. The smooth surface of the print belies the complex chemical reactions that brought it into being. The sepia tones give it an antique feel, yet the image itself freezes a moment in time. This small photograph, with its tangible presence, reminds us of the intersection between artistry, science, and commerce that photography represented in the 1800s, a time when new technologies were rapidly reshaping society. It's a blend of craft and industrialization, where the hand of the artist is present, yet reliant on the machinery of progress.