Portret van twee onbekende jongens 1898 - 1916

This is an undated photograph by Hermann Schlüter, portraying two unidentified boys. The photographic process itself, particularly in this era, involved a complex interplay of chemistry and light. Each image was a delicate balance of exposure time, development techniques, and the specific properties of the materials used, typically silver halide emulsions on glass or later, flexible celluloid. In contrast to painting or sculpture, photography opened portraiture to a broader section of society. The social context of this image is also significant. The clothing of the boys, with its nautical stripes and carefully tailored forms, speaks to a certain level of bourgeois comfort. This image would have been valued as a memento, a carefully crafted representation of family and status. The very act of commissioning a photograph was an investment, a way of preserving and projecting identity in a rapidly changing world. By attending to the materials and making of this photograph, we gain insight into the social values and cultural practices of the time.