Portret van een staande man in klederdracht, vermoedelijk in Volendam c. 1900 - 1910

This is a portrait by G. Hidderley, depicting a man in traditional Volendam attire, captured through photography. The image's grainy texture tells us something about the process of its making. In Hidderley’s time, photography was a relatively young medium, reliant on specific chemical processes and equipment. The shades of gray, the contrast and the focal depth achieved here resulted from a complex interplay between light, lens, and photosensitive materials. This play between science and art makes you consider the photographer's skills in manipulating these elements to capture not just an image, but also a sense of character and place. It also makes you aware of the labor involved, from setting up the shot to developing the print in the darkroom. By considering these aspects, we can appreciate the artistry involved in photography, recognizing it as a skilled practice with its own rich history.