[John Burnet] 1860s

This photograph of John Burnet was made by John and Charles Watkins sometime in the mid-19th century, likely in their Parliament Street studio. It's a small albumen print, a process that involved coating paper with egg white to create a smooth surface for the photographic emulsion. The albumen printing process itself is fascinating. It was a real industry, relying on a constant supply of eggs. Think about the labor involved: gathering, separating, and applying the egg whites, then carefully exposing the print to light through a negative. The resulting sepia tones and subtle gradations of light and shadow give the portrait a sense of depth and presence. While photography was becoming more accessible during this period, it still required specialized knowledge and equipment, placing it somewhere between a skilled craft and an industrial process. The Watkins brothers were successful studio photographers catering to a clientele that valued this emerging technology. This image reminds us that even seemingly straightforward portraits are the result of complex material processes and social contexts. It challenges our conventional assumptions about art and production.