Portret van een man met snor en bril 1860 - 1900

This is a photographic portrait of a man with a mustache and glasses, created by Ernst Schroeter. Though the date is unknown, the photographic process is a window into history. Before the digital era, portraiture was a highly skilled craft. The photographer had to understand chemistry, optics, and composition. They needed specialized equipment, from the camera itself to the darkroom where the image was developed. Each print involved careful work, from preparing the glass plates to the final toning. Consider the labor involved in producing each print, from the factory workers producing photographic materials, to the photographer themselves. Photographs like this were not simply images; they were objects of social ritual. They marked important occasions, like a rite of passage, and served as keepsakes. By attending to its making, we can appreciate the photograph not just as a representation, but as a material object, deeply embedded in its time.