Portret van een onbekende vrouw met hoed in een tuin c. 1865 - 1900

This is a photographic glass negative, a portrait of an unknown woman with a hat in a garden, made by Laurens Lodewijk Kleijn. Before photography became streamlined, and more accessible through the production of film, the creation of portraits was laborious and time-consuming. A glass negative requires carefully coating a glass plate with light-sensitive emulsion, exposing it in a camera, and then developing the image in a darkroom. Kleijn has meticulously captured the details of the woman's dress and the surrounding garden. Note the subtle gradations of tone, achieved through precise control of exposure and development. The glass plate’s inherent qualities of clarity and smoothness contribute to the image's sharpness, while its fragility underscores the preciousness of the moment captured. The labour-intensive process of creating a glass negative reflects the social context of the time, when photography was a specialized skill, and portraits were valued for their rarity and permanence. By emphasizing materials and making, we gain a deeper appreciation for the artistry and cultural significance of early photographic processes.