Portret van Gerda Grönberg-Rove 1880 - 1890

Editor: Here we have Waldemar Dahllöf’s “Portret van Gerda Grönberg-Rove,” a photographic portrait from the 1880s-1890s. It looks like a pretty standard portrait of a woman from that period, but what’s interesting about it to you? Curator: Well, let's look beyond the subject's pose. It's easy to get caught up in "who" she is. Instead, let's think about the materiality. Photography in this period was becoming increasingly accessible, right? What did it *mean* for someone to commission a portrait? Who had access to that technology? Think about the chemistry involved, the paper, the printing process... this wasn’t just clicking a button. Editor: That’s a good point. It makes me consider who could afford to have a photo taken back then. So the materials themselves represent a certain level of wealth and access? Curator: Exactly. And the labor involved! Consider the photographer's skill, the studio setup, the development process. Photography moved from being the preserve of a small elite to wider availability through industrialized darkroom processes. The rise of images made by firms transformed society. The consumption of imagery became part of the creation of class, and, of course, gender, ideals. Is there something inherently special about photography versus painted portraits that explains its wider adoption? Editor: I guess I hadn’t really thought about all the steps involved in making what seems like a simple image. It's like you are showing the history behind the surface. Curator: Precisely. The portrait, like her dress, is also a construction. Each of these aspects highlights the consumption and labor related to a very gendered notion of representation. Editor: It does make you wonder about the wider social context beyond just a pretty picture. Thanks for the different perspective!