Portret van een jongeman met bolhoed Possibly 1897

This small photograph, titled "Portret van een jongeman met bolhoed," was made by Ch. & Simon De Trez using the wet collodion process. This photographic technique involves coating a glass plate with light-sensitive chemicals, then exposing and developing it while still wet. It was a popular method for creating detailed and reproducible images. The resulting photograph is a testament to the photographer's skill in manipulating the chemical processes to capture a sharp and nuanced likeness of the young man. Consider the labor involved in producing photographs at this time; from the preparation of the collodion emulsion, to the meticulous development and printing processes. Such labor-intensive processes are often overlooked when we appreciate historical portraits.