Groepsportret van drie onbekende vrouwen in een tuin c. 1865 - 1900

This is an early photograph by Laurens Lodewijk Kleijn depicting three unknown women, rendered through the wet collodion process. This technique, popular in the mid-19th century, involved coating a glass plate with a light-sensitive emulsion, then exposing and developing the image while the plate was still wet. The resulting photograph, like this one, often has a distinctive tonal range and ethereal quality. The collodion process was both laborious and highly skilled. It demanded careful preparation, precise timing, and a deep understanding of chemistry. The photographer was not simply capturing an image, but actively involved in the creation of the medium itself. This convergence of scientific knowledge, artistic vision, and manual dexterity is a reminder that even seemingly ‘mechanical’ arts like photography are in fact deeply rooted in craft. So, when considering the image, think about the labour, the materials, and the knowledge, both tacit and scientific, that were necessary to produce it. This challenges traditional notions of artistic creation, and what constitutes fine art.