Portret van Jeanne Henriette Reine Reyneke van Stuwe 1900 - 1906

This is a photograph by Delboy & Baer, a portrait of Jeanne Henriette Reine Reyneke van Stuwe. The photographic process is so central to understanding its cultural meaning. Early photography required specialized spaces, equipment and knowledge, and usually, the sitter had to be still for a long time. The labour and equipment involved in producing such photographs contributed to their status as rare, valuable and novel objects, as well as the subject's social standing. The sepia tones and smooth textures seen in this picture are the result of chemical reactions on coated paper. The materials' capacity to capture light and shadow determined the aesthetics of photography at the time, while reflecting a desire to emulate the effects of painting and drawing. Looking closely at the ways in which photographs were created and used, we can appreciate how they changed ideas about art, representation, and even personal identity in an increasingly industrialized and interconnected world.