Portret van Eugène Lanchir 1880 - 1920

This is an old photograph, a portrait of Eugène Lanchir by Alphonse Locquier, a small rectangle, really, made with light and chemistry. What's striking is the material reality of early photography, particularly how it democratized portraiture. Before, only the wealthy could afford to have their likeness captured in paint, a laborious and expensive process. Photography changed all that. Suddenly, ordinary people like Eugène Lanchir could be immortalized. There’s also the labor involved in creating the photograph itself. The photographer had to be skilled in the darkroom, manipulating chemicals and light to create the image. And the sitter had to be patient, holding still for a relatively long exposure time. What was once the domain of high art became more accessible. The photograph stands as a reminder that the value and significance of an artwork isn't solely determined by traditional artistic mediums but also by its social and cultural impact.