Portret van een man met snor en bril 1880 - 1908

This is an undated photograph of a man with a moustache and glasses, made by Carl Wilhelm Bauer. The image, mounted on card, belongs to a tradition of photographic portraiture that was burgeoning at the time, as photography became more accessible. While we don't know the sitter's identity, the photograph speaks volumes about the democratization of image-making during the late 19th century. Photographs like this are direct products of industrial technology, from the manufacture of the camera to the chemical processes involved in developing the image. Consider the labor involved in creating the lens, or the specific qualities of the photographic paper. The sharpness of the image, the subtle gradations of tone, and the sitter's formal attire all reflect the rising aspirations of the middle class. Photographs like this one prompt us to think about the relationship between technological innovation, social identity, and the very human desire for representation. It blurs any distinction between art and industry.