Portret van een meisje met een fotoalbum bij een stoel c. 1860 - 1880

This portrait of a girl with a photo album and chair was made by Alexandre & Cie, using photographic materials and processes. In this period, photography was becoming more accessible due to industrial production of cameras and standardized chemical processes. However, portraiture remained a specialized craft, requiring skilled photographers to manipulate light, pose subjects, and develop prints. The material qualities of the photograph itself – its sepia tone, the texture of the paper, and the way the image is mounted – all contribute to its sense of historical distance. The photograph represents a moment in the history of photography, when it was transforming from a niche practice to a mass medium, mirroring shifts in labor, politics, and consumption. Understanding the social context in which the image was produced and consumed is vital to understanding its significance, bridging the realms of art and everyday life.