Portret van een onbekende vrouw met een kind 1874 - 1887

This photograph, a portrait of an unknown woman with a child, was made by Albert Greiner in the late 19th century. Back then, photography was a complex chemical process. Images were captured on glass plates coated with light-sensitive emulsion. This particular photograph is a testament to the rise of portraiture as a bourgeois pursuit. The material of the photograph itself, the paper print mounted on card stock, speaks to its function as a keepsake, a memento of a specific moment in time. Looking closely, you can see the texture of the paper, the slight imperfections in the emulsion. These are traces of the hand, even in a medium that we now think of as purely mechanical. The making of such an image involved a carefully choreographed dance between photographer and sitter, a negotiation of pose, expression, and attire. The woman's elaborate dress, a showcase of skilled needlework, speaks volumes about her social standing. Ultimately, this photograph challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft, inviting us to appreciate the material and social context that gave rise to it.