Portret van de heer W.F. van Stuyvesant Meyen, gepensioneerd schout bij nacht c. 1880 - 1905

This portrait of W.F. van Stuyvesant Meyen, a retired rear admiral, was produced by Jean Jacques Antoine van Winsen, using photographic techniques of the late 19th or early 20th century. The sepia tones and sharp focus, typical of the period, lend a gravity to the image. Look closely, and you can see the subtle gradations of light and shadow that model the admiral's face and uniform. The photographic process itself – the careful arrangement of the subject, the exposure and development of the glass plate negative, and the printing of the final image on paper – involved a complex interplay of chemistry and craft. During this period, photography became increasingly accessible to a wider public, changing the nature of portraiture. No longer limited to the wealthy who could afford painted portraits, photography offered a more democratic means of memorializing oneself and one's family. It also provided a way to document social status, as seen in the admiral's medals. Considering this photograph as a carefully made object, and understanding its historical context, allows us to appreciate its full cultural significance.