Portret van Jacob Evert Wesenhagen c. 1890

This portrait of Jacob Evert Wesenhagen was produced by Henrique A. Siza using photographic processes. The photograph is a small rectangle of card, printed with light-sensitive chemicals, and shows a man from the chest up. The sepia tone hints at the likely process, probably albumen printing, popular at the time. This involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, then exposing it to light through a negative. The resulting print captures fine detail, visible in the man's hair and clothing. The mount provides a rigid support, allowing the photograph to be handled and displayed. The production of photographs like this speaks to the rise of industrial capitalism, which made photography affordable to a wider population. While the creation of the image required skilled labor, the relative ease of production democratized portraiture, making it accessible to those outside the elite. The use of industrial materials and manufacturing processes challenges traditional notions of art, prompting us to consider the cultural and social significance of everyday images.