Portret van Henri Ernie 1880 - 1920

Editor: This is a gelatin-silver print portrait of Henri Ernie, created sometime between 1880 and 1920, by L. Larger. It's quite formal, almost austere. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: I am fascinated by how advancements in photographic materials and processes democratized portraiture. Gelatin-silver prints offered sharper images with shorter exposure times, and a new affordability. Who had access to this technology and whose labor produced the materials themselves? Was it only upper-middle-class patrons? Editor: That’s a great point. So, thinking about the material impact, what about L. Larger? Was he or she just another photographer? Curator: I am sure that he or she ran a business whose goal was to produce and sell. This raises interesting questions about authorship and artistry, doesn’t it? Did L. Larger view this as a craft, a business, or both? And what choices, in terms of material use, do you think L. Larger made? Editor: Maybe the mount was a way to elevate the photograph, creating a more permanent, displayable object, shifting it from a mere image to something more precious? I wonder about the choices in tone and the clothing style in that era too. Curator: Exactly! Each element from the photographic chemicals to the subject's attire, speaks to the social and economic context. Considering these production means and consumption patterns, what does this portrait tell us about the subject, Henri Ernie? Editor: I guess I never really thought about portraiture in terms of material culture before. Thank you, it makes me see the piece in an entirely new light. Curator: Me too, examining the processes challenges notions about art.