Portret van een meisje, zittend op een stoel 1860 - 1890

This is a photograph of a girl, seated on a chair, created by C.D. Fredricks & Co. Photography in the 19th century was a chemical process as much as it was an artistic one. This small image would have been made through a series of labor-intensive steps, beginning with the preparation of a glass plate coated with light-sensitive emulsion. The sitter had to be perfectly still during the exposure. It was a cumbersome method, but one that democratized image-making, taking portraiture out of the hands of painters and making it available to a wider public. The photograph is mounted on card stock, and surrounded by an embossed border, giving it a precious, keepsake quality. The result is a fascinating convergence of science, craft, and social practice. It is a reminder that even the most seemingly straightforward image involves layers of material, process, and human effort.