Portret van Grietje Kelderman 1894 - 1898

This is a photograph of Grietje Kelderman, made by the IJpma Brothers, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century. It is a small print, probably made using a silver gelatin process. What interests me most about this kind of image is its status as a commodity. Photography in this period was becoming increasingly accessible, yet it was still a specialized trade. The IJpma Brothers, identified as 'photographers' on the print, were providing a service. They possessed the technical skill and equipment to capture and reproduce an image, a process that would have been rather mysterious to most people at the time. Consider the social context: Grietje Kelderman is formally posed, perhaps marking a special occasion. The photograph would have been relatively precious, a keepsake produced through a commercial transaction. The very act of commissioning such a portrait speaks to the growing consumer culture of the era. Paying attention to these material and social factors helps us to understand photography not just as art, but as a form of labor, industry, and social exchange.