Portret van Duncan C. Dallas before 1886

This photographic portrait of Duncan C. Dallas was made by an anonymous artist at an unknown date. It can be found within the pages of an open book. The image creates meaning through visual codes. Consider the cultural references of the time in which it was made. Given the sitter's distinguished beard, the photo probably dates to the mid-to-late nineteenth century when such beards were fashionable. Photography was rapidly advancing at this time and there were intense debates in the art world about whether photography could be considered a fine art. Was it simply a mechanical process or did it require artistic skill to create a portrait? One can imagine that the anonymous artist who made this portrait was trying to show off his skills and demonstrate the ways photography could be considered art. To better understand this image, further research would be required into photographic techniques of the period. The role of the historian is to investigate the social and institutional contexts that gave rise to debates about the role of photography as an art form.