Portret van een onbekende man met pince-nez 1865 - 1890

This is a photograph by Georges Penabert depicting an unknown man, dating back to the 19th century. It is made of albumen print on cardboard. The albumen process, invented in 1850, involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate. The paper was then exposed to sunlight through a negative, revealing the photographic image. It required meticulous preparation and careful timing. The resulting prints, like this portrait, were known for their warm tones and fine detail. In a society rapidly transforming through industrialization, photography offered a new means of capturing and disseminating images. Studios like Penabert's capitalized on the demand for portraiture, democratizing access to visual representation beyond the realm of painting. While the sitter remains anonymous, the photograph itself speaks volumes about the era's aspirations, technologies, and the evolving relationship between art, science, and commerce. The image reminds us of the profound social implications embedded in even the simplest of objects.