[Sir Charles Lock Eastlake] 1860s

This is an albumen print of Sir Charles Lock Eastlake made by John and Charles Watkins sometime in the mid-19th century. The albumen process, invented in 1850, involves coating a sheet of paper with egg white and silver nitrate, then exposing it to light through a negative. It’s a relatively simple process, but it's also labor-intensive. The photographer had to be skilled in chemistry to prepare the materials and control the development process. The resulting image has a soft, warm tone and a high level of detail. It's a testament to the skill of the photographer and the potential of this early photographic process. What began as a scientific discovery was fast becoming a popular form of portraiture, making images accessible to a wider range of people than ever before. This one captures the sitter's likeness, but also embodies the social and technological moment that made it possible.