Portret van een onbekend kind 1878 - 1890

This photograph of an unknown child was made by Nadar sometime in the mid-19th century, using the wet collodion process, which was common at the time. Rather than focusing on the final image alone, it's important to consider the laborious steps required to produce such a portrait. Glass plates had to be coated with chemicals, exposed while still wet, and then developed immediately. It was painstaking work, demanding skill and precision from the photographer. This process influenced not only the image's warm, sepia tones, but also the very nature of early portraiture. Before the advent of photography, portraits were a luxury affordable only to the wealthy. But with the rise of photography, the ability to capture one's likeness became increasingly accessible to the middle classes. Though the process was complex, the results democratized representation, changing the landscape of art and visual culture. Understanding this shift helps us to look beyond the surface of this charming portrait and consider its wider social impact.