Dr. Frank Hastings Hamilton (1813-1886) 1858 - 1869

Jeremiah Gurney made this portrait of Dr. Frank Hastings Hamilton using the albumen print process. This technique, popular in the mid-19th century, involved coating paper with egg white and then using a negative to expose the image to light. Consider the materiality of this photograph. The albumen print lends a sepia tone and a distinctive sheen to the image, highlighting the textures of Hamilton's coat and beard. But it also reveals the process of its making, with slight imperfections and tonal variations that speak to the alchemical nature of early photography. This was at once a very technical and human process. The rise of photography coincided with an era of industrial expansion and increasing consumerism. Photography democratized portraiture, making images accessible to a wider segment of society than traditional painted portraits allowed. While photography may appear to be purely representational, it also reflects social and economic shifts in the 19th century. By recognizing the labor and materials involved in the making of this photograph, we can understand its deeper cultural significance and challenge the traditional hierarchy separating fine art from craft.