Studioportret van een jongeman in een colbert met een fluwelen kraag c. 1863 - 1866

Albert Greiner made this photograph of a young man wearing a jacket with a velvet collar sometime in the mid-19th century. It presents us with an interesting case study of photographic portraiture’s social function at that time. Made in the Netherlands, this small card photograph or ‘carte-de-visite’ emerged as a popular and affordable way to capture one’s likeness. Consider how studio portraits like these democratized representation, offering a broader segment of society the chance to participate in visual culture. Before this, formal portraiture was largely reserved for the elite, reinforcing social hierarchies through visual display. By contrast, photographs of ordinary people gained circulation. This image also reflects the increasing professionalization of photography as a commercial enterprise. Photographs like this one provide rich material for historians interested in the intersection of art, society, and technological change. They reveal the cultural values and aspirations of a particular time and place.