Portret van een onbekende jonge vrouw 1878 - 1904

Editor: This albumen print, “Portret van een onbekende jonge vrouw,” attributed to Mathieu-Deroche and created between 1878 and 1904, feels incredibly intimate. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, the materiality of this object is particularly interesting. The albumen print process itself—utilizing egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper—speaks to the alchemical processes at play in image making and its social reach through mass production. How does it relate to the carte-de-visite phenomenon and its consumption at the time? Editor: I suppose I hadn't considered it from the viewpoint of consumption! So, people collected these? Was photography relatively cheap then? Curator: Indeed. These cards functioned as calling cards, commodities, and objects of social exchange. Cheaper and quicker to produce compared to painted portraits, they democratized representation. The subtle tonality and tactile nature inherent to albumen prints point toward an important shift in artistic production—linking the world of aesthetics and that of manufacturing. What about the photographer's imprint along the lower margin of the cardboard backing; does that not suggest an understanding of consumerism? Editor: It does. Thinking about the repetitive actions needed to produce prints by the thousands brings a fresh perspective. It's both artistic expression and... factory work. Curator: Precisely! And it asks a question of art itself: where is its boundary? Editor: Thinking about how common and how easy the process of printing the carte-de-visite was during that period of time helps me think about the cultural landscape of the artwork itself. Thank you for providing such an intriguing context, it certainly helps to get rid of romantic impressions. Curator: You're very welcome. Sometimes focusing on the material conditions can illuminate unexpected facets of art.