Portret van een onbekende jongen met prent 1863 - 1875

Editor: This is "Portret van een onbekende jongen met prent" or "Portrait of an Unknown Boy with Print" by E. Cornelisse, dating from 1863 to 1875. It appears to be a photograph with etching or lithographic elements, but the blend is quite intriguing. What catches your eye about the materiality and methods used in this work? Curator: For me, the most fascinating aspect lies in dissecting the materials themselves and the context of their deployment. It's not just a photograph, it's a meticulously constructed commodity. Look at the boy's clothes. What do you make of his jacket and bow tie in contrast with the tools on the table? Editor: Well, the clothing suggests a rising middle class, while the implements imply artistic endeavor...or perhaps just appreciation of art? Is the photograph, in its own way, a method for self-fashioning or identity presentation? Curator: Exactly! And let's not overlook the photograph itself. Think of the social implications tied to portraiture at this time. What level of economic status do you suppose is required to get this staged and capture ones portrait with tools from creation? Editor: The sitter almost seems to be exhibiting both artistic interest, as well as societal belonging, using tools for different class expressions. A bit of material performance? Curator: Precisely! This portrait isn't just a visual document; it's evidence of a shift in material culture and its performance. It underscores photography’s role in shaping social perceptions, commodity exchange and individual narratives during industrial capitalism. Editor: I hadn’t considered it that way before, thinking of photography not just as art, but as a document embedded in commerce and identity! It adds so many layers. Curator: Yes. By exploring the labor, materials, and systems involved in creating such an image, we unveil the complex interplay between art, industry, and society.