Portret van een vrouw, aangeduid als mevrouw Schuurman 1860 - 1880

This is a photographic portrait of a woman, thought to be Mrs. Schuurman, created by Ludwig Bender. The photograph is a small paper print mounted on card stock, a format known as a carte-de-visite, which translates from French as 'visiting card'. These portraits became extremely popular in the mid-19th century as photography became more accessible, and were collected and traded like calling cards. The process involved using a camera with multiple lenses to produce several images on a single glass plate. These were then printed and cut into individual portraits. The industrialization of photographic processes like this one, with the division of labor, meant they could be mass produced and sold relatively cheaply. This is far from fine art, it is the popular culture of its day. Looking at this portrait, it offers a window into the democratization of image-making during the rise of industrial capitalism, and a glimpse into the world of mass production and consumption.