Portret van een onbekende zittende vrouw 1884 - 1886

Axel Rydin produced this photograph of an unknown woman in Stockholm. Photographs like this one were often made using the ‘carte de visite’ method, a calling card showing a portrait. What is interesting about this method is that it makes the sitter accessible; it’s a mass produced item, unlike a painted portrait. This removes the barrier of class. However, the making of photographs involved many steps. The photographer needed skill in controlling the chemistry involved in developing the image, manipulating light, and posing the sitter to best advantage. It is also interesting to think about the subject matter - the clothes, the hair, the expression of the woman - and how they have been shaped by the photographic process. Ultimately, this image blurs the boundaries between fine art and craft, inviting us to consider photography as both a technical process and a form of artistic expression.