Portret van een man in militair uniform 1863 - 1906

This portrait of a man in military uniform was made by Johannes Baer using albumen print. This photographic process, popular in the 19th century, involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, creating a surface receptive to light and capturing finely detailed images. The process speaks to a moment when photography was becoming increasingly accessible, yet still required considerable skill. Baer would have been familiar with the chemistry of the process, meticulously preparing the photosensitive paper and carefully controlling exposure times. The warm sepia tone, characteristic of albumen prints, gives the portrait a sense of history. The inherent qualities of the albumen print – its smooth surface and the way it renders light and shadow – contribute to the subject's imposing presence, emphasized by his crisp uniform and dignified pose. By understanding the labor and materials involved in its creation, we can appreciate how this photograph bridges the gap between art, craft, and the social context of its time.