Studioportret van een jongeman met baard c. 1863 - 1870

Albert Greiner made this portrait of a young man with a beard, using a photographic process, sometime in the mid-to-late 19th century. The photograph itself, a delicate albumen print, speaks to the rise of photography as both an art and industry. The albumen process, using egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper, was incredibly labor-intensive. The practice required skilled technicians to prepare the glass plates, develop the image, and then carefully print and mount the final photograph. Think of the number of eggs required for a studio to print multiple copies of photographs. The rise of photography democratized portraiture, making it accessible to the middle class. It offered a way for people to capture their likeness, and project a particular image of themselves, something once reserved for the wealthy. The very act of commissioning such a portrait speaks to the sitter’s aspirations. Considering the materials, the labor, and the social context allows us to appreciate photography not just as an art form, but as a reflection of broader cultural and economic shifts.