Portret van een man met lange grijze baard 1879 - 1900

This photographic portrait of a man with a long grey beard was made by Friedrich Julius von Kolkow. The photographic print would have involved the use of a camera, darkroom chemicals, and printing paper. The portrait's sepia tone is a direct result of the chemical processes used in early photography, where silver compounds react to light and then are developed to reveal the image. The tones of the photograph emphasize the texture and the character of the man's long beard, drawing our attention to the tangible qualities of his presence. In its time, this would have been a new media, a product of industrial chemistry, and its own set of labor. Photographs democratized portraiture, making images like these available to a wider public. It also made people like Von Kolkow, photographers, the masters of the equipment, and dark room practices. Considering the material and the processes involved encourages us to think about the cultural impact of photography, its role in shaping our perception of reality, and its influence on traditional artistic practices.