Portret van een man met snor 1861 - 1874

This photographic portrait of a moustachioed man, created by Albert Greiner, is an albumen print; a process which dominated portraiture in the mid-19th century. The process, which involved coating paper with a layer of egg white and silver nitrate before exposure, was a laborious one. It demanded the careful extraction of albumen from eggs, and the skilled manipulation of chemicals in a darkroom environment. This level of skill and the cost of materials, elevated the status of photography, and created the professional photographer. The visual qualities of the print - its warm sepia tone, smooth surface, and remarkable detail - also contributed to its appeal. These small portraits became highly collectible, often mounted in albums like this one, and treasured as personal mementos. Considering the material and the intricate processes of its making allows us to appreciate photography not merely as a representational medium, but as a crafted object, deeply embedded in the social and economic contexts of its time.