Portret van Étienne-Jules Marey before 1894

This photogravure of Étienne-Jules Marey by Nadar is held at the Rijksmuseum, its dimensions a modest 142 by 107 millimetres. The composition of the portrait draws us to Marey's face, framed by a neatly trimmed beard and a dark suit. The tonal range is subtle, navigating from the light falling on his forehead to the deep shadows that give volume to his form. This meticulous control over light and shadow does more than just represent; it creates a persona of scientific authority and gravitas, suggesting the sitter's intellectual rigor. This portrait speaks to a structural interplay between visibility and representation. Photography, as a medium, is presumed to capture reality. Nadar’s approach suggests that the medium is adept at constructing carefully calibrated impressions. This photogravure thus destabilizes the notion of photography as an objective record, instead revealing it as a crafted performance.