[Jervis McEntee] 1860s

This photographic portrait of Jervis McEntee was made by Austin Augustus Turner sometime in the mid-19th century. The albumen print, mounted on card, was part of a system of mass image production that changed portraiture forever. The image has a sepia tone, typical of the process, which involved coating paper with albumen derived from egg whites, then exposing it to light through a negative. This technique allowed for sharp detail and a wide tonal range, but also bears the marks of its making: slight imperfections and variations in tone. Consider the labor involved. Not just the photographer's skill, but the industrial production of the photographic materials, and the agricultural work of egg production. These processes democratized image-making, making portraits accessible to a wider public than ever before. The photograph’s material presence, though modest, speaks volumes about the changing social landscape of the 19th century. The focus shifts from unique artworks to mass-produced images, reflecting broader shifts in labor, politics and consumption.