Portret van een liggende baby 1860 - 1900

This carte-de-visite, or visiting card, was produced by Selle & Kuntze, using a photographic process that was popular during the mid-19th century. The photograph is mounted on a piece of card, a relatively inexpensive material that allowed for mass production. This format enabled photography to reach a broader audience, moving it away from being an exclusive art form for the wealthy. The process involved creating a negative on glass, which was then used to print multiple positives on paper. The tonal range in this print is soft, giving the baby's skin a delicate appearance. The use of a photographic backdrop and props, like the fur the baby is laying on, were common studio techniques. The popularity of cartes-de-visite coincided with the rise of industrial capitalism, and the need for standardized, affordable imagery. This piece blurs the lines between personal memento and mass-produced object, offering a glimpse into the democratization of portraiture during this period.