Figure 75: Nun saying her prayers 1854 - 1856

This photograph, “Figure 75: Nun saying her prayers,” was created by Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne in the 19th century, using a process known as albumen silver printing. The image is created by coating paper with a layer of albumen from egg whites, then sensitizing it with silver nitrate. The albumen gives the print its glossy surface and fine detail. Notice how the light plays across the woman's face, emphasizing the texture of her skin and the contours of her expression as electricity is applied to her face. This was a modern technological process, used here to capture what Duchenne believed to be the physical manifestations of inner states. The electrodes attached to her face, though disturbing to our contemporary eyes, were employed to isolate and stimulate specific facial muscles. This photographic process was labor intensive, demanding skill in both the preparation of materials and the execution of the print. By using the then-new medium of photography, Duchenne sought to objectify and categorize human emotion with scientific precision. Examining the materials and processes used in creating this image gives us insight into the cultural and scientific context of the time.