Mrs. D.J. Ruzicka c. 20th century

Louis Fleckenstein made this portrait of Mrs. D.J. Ruzicka using gelatin silver print. The photographic process itself involved a complex chemistry, transforming light into a fixed image on specially prepared paper. Fleckenstein’s soft focus and the tonal range, from deep blacks to delicate highlights, evoke a sense of quiet dignity. This aesthetic was popular among Pictorialist photographers, who aimed to elevate photography to the status of fine art. Yet, the image also speaks to the labor involved. Consider the sitter’s garments, and the globalized trade networks that brought these materials to her. The hat, the veil, the fur trim - each element represents a chain of production, from raw material extraction to skilled craftmanship. By focusing on the sitter, and not necessarily on these materials, the photograph risks obscuring the amount of work that went into this portrait; not just by Fleckenstein, but by all of the other laborers who made Mrs. Ruzicka’s image possible.