Portret van een vrouw, staand bij een stoel 1860 - 1899

This photograph, made by Philipp Hoff, captures a standing woman next to a chair. It would have been made using the wet collodion process, a laborious technique where a glass plate is coated, sensitized, exposed, and developed, all before the emulsion dries. This process, which could be set up in a small studio and didn't require specialized technologies, made photography accessible. It became a popular format for portraiture at this time, and speaks to the growing middle class who could increasingly afford the luxury of having their picture taken. The woman's dress, undoubtedly handmade with considerable time invested in its construction, speaks to the culture of domestic labor. Photography democratized image-making, challenging traditional artistic hierarchies. The value lies not just in the final image, but in the convergence of craft, science, and social context that the photograph represents.