Portret van een jonge vrouw 1865 - 1866

Isaac Augustus Wetherby produced this tiny portrait of a young woman, utilizing a photographic process popular in the 19th century. Photographs like this, known as "cartes de visite," weren't just images. They were products of a burgeoning industry. Unlike painting, which required a skilled artist and lengthy sittings, photography offered a relatively quick and reproducible way to capture a likeness. This portrait, with its carefully posed subject and decorative mount, speaks to the increasing accessibility of image-making during this period. The material qualities of this small, faded print also hold significance. The albumen print process, which used egg whites to bind the image to the paper, gave the photograph its characteristic sheen and tonal range. It also represents a complex set of chemical processes and skilled labor. This photograph serves as a reminder that every image, regardless of its scale or perceived artistic merit, carries within it the echoes of its making, and the social context of its production.