Portret van een jongen 1865 - 1903

This photographic print, titled 'Portret van een jongen' was made by De Lavieter & Co. Photography emerged in the 19th century as a new, revolutionary mode of production, radically changing the way images were made and disseminated. Unlike painting or sculpture, which required the skilled hand of an artist, photography involved a complex interplay of chemical processes and mechanical devices. The creation of a photographic print was not simply a matter of pointing and shooting. It involved a carefully choreographed sequence of steps, from preparing the photographic plates to developing and printing the final image. This division of labor allowed for the mass production of images and the commodification of personal portraiture. In this portrait, we see the sitter, captured through this new industrial process. Consider the labor involved, both in the factory where the photographic materials were produced and in the studio where the image was captured. The photograph encapsulates the spirit of an age defined by industry and technology. It challenges our conventional notions of art and authorship.