Portret van Oppenheim, zwager van de fotograaf c. 1854 - 1855

This photograph of Oppenheim, the photographer's brother-in-law, was created by Eduard Isaac Asser. In the early days of photography in the Netherlands, we see the development of new visual codes and social rituals around portraiture. Looking at this image, we might ask ourselves about the social role of photography at this time. How did the rise of this new medium affect existing forms of portraiture, such as painting and sculpture? Asser was a lawyer, writer, and pioneer of photography, active in the middle of the 19th century. In the Netherlands, photography developed in the context of a rapidly changing society, with increasing industrialization and urbanization. The institutions for exhibiting and classifying this new medium were not yet fully established. As we consider the history of photography, it's important to consult diverse resources such as early photographic journals, exhibition catalogs, and the personal archives of photographers like Asser to gain a more nuanced understanding.