The Gaze 1856 - 1857

This is a photograph called 'The Gaze' by Pierre-Louis Pierson. It’s a relatively early photographic print, meaning it was likely created using a chemical process involving light-sensitive materials coated onto paper. The sepia tones and soft focus give the image a romantic, almost painterly quality. In the image we see a woman dressed in a large formal gown, adorned with jewellery. Notice how the material of her dress falls; all that fabric suggests the labor involved in its creation. Photography, even in its early days, democratized portraiture, making it more accessible than painted portraits for a rising middle class. But the time-consuming nature of early photography, with long exposure times, and the specialized skills required to create a photographic print, meant that it was still far from an everyday practice. In this sense, 'The Gaze' sits at an interesting intersection of artistry, technology, and social change. By understanding the materials and processes involved in its creation, we appreciate the skill and effort required to produce this artwork.