Portret van een onbekende baby 1873 - 1885

Albert Alfred Warnery made this photograph of an unknown baby sometime in the late 19th century, using a process known as "carte de visite." This was a popular format at the time; small photographs mounted on card stock, made possible by advancements in photographic chemistry and mass production techniques. Each print, including the printing of the photographer’s details below the image, could be replicated, and sold, for affordable prices. The tones of this print are warm and sepia-like, a result of the chemical development processes used. The texture is smooth, with a slight sheen from the coating applied to protect the image. We see a baby seated in a chair, but the real story here is about the democratization of image-making. This photograph embodies the shift from unique, hand-made portraits to mass-produced images, reflecting the rise of consumer culture and the changing social status of photography. This little artifact reminds us that even the most personal images are deeply connected to broader trends in technology, labor, and consumption.