Portret van een vrouw met halsketting 1858 - 1890

A. Böeseken made this portrait of a woman with a necklace using photography, a process that was becoming increasingly accessible in the late 19th century. The material essence of photography lies in its chemical reaction to light, permanently capturing a moment on a treated surface. The final image is a result of choices about exposure time, development techniques, and printing processes. In this case, the sepia tone and the slight blur suggest an early photographic printing method, where the image is built up gradually, layer by layer. The work then acquires its significance through social and cultural contexts, like the rise of portraiture as a means of self-representation and the increasing availability of photography to a broader middle class. These forces democratized the creation and consumption of images, allowing more individuals to participate in shaping their own visual histories. Looking at the photograph in terms of its making invites us to appreciate the intersection of science, technology, and artistic expression in a period of rapid change.