[Kraus] 1860s

Editor: This is a portrait, titled "[Kraus]", created in the 1860s by Ernst Milster. It’s an albumen print. The man seems very proper. What jumps out at you when you see it? Curator: Well, I immediately consider the burgeoning culture of photography in the 1860s. These albumen prints democratized portraiture, making it accessible to a wider segment of the middle class. Instead of commissioning painted portraits which would cost more and take more time, photography allowed for affordable duplication and distribution. How do you think the rise of photographic portraits affected painted portraiture at the time? Editor: That’s a good question. Did painted portraits begin to emphasize other qualities, like abstract emotional states, to compete with photography's realism? Curator: Exactly. Consider how the photographic process itself dictated certain stylistic choices. Notice the sitter’s relatively rigid pose, and the muted color palette, typical of early photography. It emphasizes stillness because of long exposure times. It’s a trade-off: accurate likeness for some creative license. Also notice the print has an inscription, indicating the studio and its location. Think of this like a business card; what does the print itself tell you about the relationship between photography, social mobility, and advertisement in 19th century Berlin? Editor: I didn't think about it like that, but the inscription does point to photography's increasing commercial value. The act of marketing one's studio would then impact how photography studios developed aesthetically and how portraits became almost formulaic. Curator: Precisely! This image, therefore, isn’t just a record of an individual; it’s also a document of evolving visual culture, of changing relationships between commerce and art, and technology and representation. This was insightful! Thanks! Editor: Thanks, this was really interesting. It gave me a lot to consider about the historical implications of portraiture!