Portret van een man met baard 1861 - 1874

This is a photograph, "Portrait of a Man with Beard," made by Albert Greiner sometime in the mid-19th century. Though it may seem worlds away from craft, it reflects the industrial processes that gave photography its start. Consider how much labor went into this seemingly simple image. First, there's the mining of silver and other light-sensitive materials. Then, the skilled work of coating the photographic plate, a process of alchemy and precision. The photographer’s work to pose his sitter, and the darkroom magic required to make the print appear. The resulting image would have been a luxury for many, a tangible memento of social class, and a symbol of progress, reflecting the period’s fascination with technology. Even in photography, we can see the hand of the maker, and the impact of both technology and social status. The portrait lets us consider the cultural values embedded in material things.