Portret van een vrouw met een broche c. 1888 - 1892

This portrait of a woman with a broche was made by Busenbender & Co. using photographic processes. The photograph's sepia tone comes from the chemical development of the image, fixing the silver particles onto the paper. It’s a labour-intensive process requiring a skilled technician to operate the camera, prepare the chemicals, and print the final image. The oval frame, often gilded, adds a touch of class, elevating the image from a mere snapshot to a cherished object. Photographs like these were a product of the industrial revolution, allowing the middle classes to own their image at affordable prices. Note the woman’s clothing and brooch; objects manufactured through complex supply chains involving many unseen hands. Consider how the convergence of technology, industry, and artistry democratized representation, transforming everyday life into something captured, framed, and preserved. Photography challenges our conventional notions of art, raising questions about labour, value, and the very nature of representation.