Portret van een vrouw met bril 1880 - 1887

This small portrait of a woman with glasses was made by Albert Greiner using photographic techniques that were rapidly evolving during his lifetime. The photograph's material qualities have much to tell us. Its sepia tone speaks to the chemical processes used to develop the image, and the way it captures light and shadow. It is mounted on card stock, indicating it was likely part of a larger collection. It reminds us that photography was not just about art, but also about documentation and memory. Photographs like these are directly tied to wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. The rise of photography created new jobs, from studio photographers to the workers who produced photographic materials. The rise of photography democratized portraiture, previously the domain of the wealthy, allowing a broader segment of society to participate in visual culture and build their own archives of family and personal history. Looking at this portrait through the lens of materials and making invites us to consider the labor involved, and how it reflects the changing landscape of art, craft, and society in the 19th century.