Portret van een onbekende jonge vrouw staand met boek 1900 - 1910

This portrait of an unknown woman with a book was made by Atelier Apollo, Leipzig. It shows a woman in a photograph, encased in glass and framed with metal. Photography in the late 19th century was a complex process, involving coating glass plates with light-sensitive emulsions. The photographer, or studio assistant, had to be skilled in chemistry and optics, and the sitter had to remain still for extended periods, which speaks to the labour and skill involved in capturing an image. The material of photography itself–the glass plate, the chemicals, the paper–was becoming increasingly standardized, contributing to photography's rise as a consumer product. The framing also adds to our understanding: By encasing this photographic print, it suggests a degree of preciousness, something to be cherished and preserved. Considering the materials and processes used in its creation reveals the cultural values placed on image-making at the time, and challenges the distinction between art and industrial production.