Portret van schilder Van Hier 1867 - 1885

Curator: This gelatin-silver print, dating from around 1867 to 1885, presents a formal portrait titled "Portret van schilder Van Hier," currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. The photograph captures the likeness of an unknown painter in striking detail. Editor: It's immediately the sheer physicality of the beard that captures attention, framing the man’s face. You can almost feel the texture! There's a somber feel, though – a stoicism etched in his expression. Curator: Precisely! The beard indeed holds significance. Beards, in that era, symbolized a certain artistic and intellectual stature. But note also the framing. The oval vignette concentrates the viewer's gaze, almost enshrining him. Editor: I am very interested in photography of this period; I always try to figure out the whole production that took place back then: the silver, gelatin, and glass plates themselves, and then we can't forget the chemistry of development. What’s the process of creating a gelatin-silver print reveal to us about the social context? Curator: Well, the increasing accessibility of photographic materials broadened the artistic landscape. While portraiture had been reserved for the wealthy via painting, photography offered a potentially democratizing medium. But this man chose, or perhaps was asked, to have himself captured in this fashion, suggesting an alignment with tradition while simultaneously embracing new technologies. It becomes a fascinating negotiation of identity. Editor: I wonder if the subdued tonality relates to the specific gelatin-silver process employed. Were certain chemicals favored that imparted such a sepia-like mood? The choice of materials, from my perspective, significantly contributes to the feeling. The man's jacket… one can trace its probable origin, production process, maybe even see the worker’s labor. It speaks volumes! Curator: Indeed, materiality profoundly shapes our understanding. The soft focus, common in early portrait photography, might hint at an intention, as the symbolic image that represents not only a human likeness but evokes memory, and perhaps ideals of a specific time. Editor: Looking closer I appreciate the texture of the paper – or card – it’s printed on and pasted to, again contributing to the physicality and allowing the viewer of our time to see a photograph within the material culture and production systems. Curator: Absolutely. It becomes a conversation – materials, image, and our contemporary perspective interweaving. It’s more than a historical artifact, isn’t it? Editor: It certainly is. This man, immortalized in silver and gelatin, provokes curiosity and respect across the ages. A compelling portrait indeed.