Portret van John Williams before 1861

Curator: This gelatin silver print, taken before 1861 by J. Gurney & Son, is entitled “Portret van John Williams." Editor: There's such quiet dignity to him, like a whisper from another century. The severe clothes against that creamy background give it the solemnity of a faded photograph, but still it pops from the page! Curator: As Assistant Bishop of Connecticut, Williams clearly occupied a position of great importance. Note the stylistic choices here. We're meant to infer status and refinement. Editor: It feels more intimate than stuffy, though. I think it’s that soft oval framing of his face and how his kind eyes lock into mine, or into ours I guess. It almost doesn't matter what he accomplished. There's something timeless about the calm in his gaze. Curator: Exactly. Portrait photography, particularly albumen and gelatin silver prints, offered burgeoning middle classes access to imagery that was previously reserved for only the elite, mostly through painted portraits. Now, an image like this could become part of a personal collection. Editor: Thinking about how widespread portraiture is now thanks to phones makes this portrait both ordinary and precious. A regular guy memorialized in a silvered moment! Curator: And photography gave families the means to preserve and display visages of their loved ones, establishing legacies with accessible, affordable art. Editor: Looking at this, I find myself wondering who looked at him with the same appreciation all those years ago. Art is such an opportunity for connection, through time. Curator: Indeed, and studying a piece like this opens doors into cultural values of preservation, not just images. Thank you for your insights. Editor: My pleasure. And now to move onto the next revelation!