Portret van de schilder Ferdinand Joseph Bernard Marinus, ten voeten uit 1861

This photograph by Joseph Dupont captures the painter Ferdinand Joseph Bernard Marinus in full figure. It is a small paper print, likely a salt print or albumen print, two of the earliest photographic processes. The tones of the image, sepia, and the crisp details are a direct result of the chemistry involved in these printing methods. To create such a print, the photographer would have needed a portable darkroom, glass plate negatives, and a keen understanding of light-sensitive materials. Coating, sensitizing, exposing, developing and fixing are all time-consuming processes. The final print is a testament to both the sitter’s status and the photographer’s skill and labor. Photography in this period was as much a craft as it was a science, with each print carrying the distinct mark of the maker's hand. Dupont’s photograph challenges our traditional notions of fine art by highlighting the artistry inherent in the photographic process.