Portret van vermoedelijk de kok van Louis Daguerre before 1893

This is a daguerreotype, a very early type of photograph, made by Louis-Jacques Daguerre in France. It depicts a person thought to be the cook of Daguerre himself. Consider the social context of this image. Photography was new, and the idea of capturing a person’s likeness was revolutionary. But who got to be photographed? For the most part, it was the wealthy and powerful, those who could afford it. So why would Daguerre choose to photograph his cook? Perhaps it was a way of experimenting with the new technology, or perhaps he saw something unique in this individual. Historians use photographic archives to analyze the social and cultural impact of photography. The photograph's power lies in its ability to represent individuals, and its ability to reflect and shape social norms. What does this photograph reveal about the relationship between Daguerre and his cook, and about the social hierarchies of 19th-century France? These are the questions that art historians can ask of this photograph.