Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1866 - 1875

This portrait of an unknown woman was made by H.C. Donk en Co., using photographic methods that were quite novel at the time. Note the material support, thin and portable, suited to mass dissemination. This was photography's great promise—the ability to create images without laborious handwork. Yet, it's important to remember that many processes were involved. The preparation of the light-sensitive plates, the long exposure time that the sitter had to endure, and the development of the print: all of these required skill. Consider too, the clothing worn by the sitter. The fabric, its cut and construction: all evidence of industrial manufacturing and the ready-made garment trade. Thinking about this image, it becomes clear that even in an age of mechanical reproduction, the human hand and all its attendant social and economic networks were, and remain, essential.