Portret van een man, aangeduid als A.H.J. Verhoeven 1864 - 1883

This small portrait of A.H.J. Verhoeven was made by Leonard Stollenwerk sometime in the late 19th century, using photographic techniques that were then transforming the very idea of portraiture. Prior to photography, the painted portrait was the domain of the wealthy. But photography changed all that, opening up new possibilities for representation, while simultaneously creating new class distinctions. The rise of photography went hand-in-hand with industrialization, requiring new equipment and expertise, and new forms of labor. Think of the photographer, the camera and lens makers, and the suppliers of the chemicals used to develop the image. What's interesting here is how the trappings of fine art remained, even in this modern medium. Consider the oval format of the print, and its presentation in a decorative frame. It's almost as if photography had to borrow from the established world of painting, in order to be taken seriously. The result is a fascinating blend of the old and the new.