Zeven portretten van kroonprins Willem 1859 - 1860

Editor: This daguerreotype, "Seven Portraits of Crown Prince Willem," by André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri, made between 1859 and 1860, strikes me as a sort of proto-photobooth. The prince appears in several different poses on a single plate, some dignified and others...well, reading a newspaper. What do you make of this unusual format, its function as a document? Curator: It’s interesting, isn't it? I see a charming glimpse into royal life, though staged, of course. We have Prince Willem in formal stances alongside what might be attempts at capturing more informal moments. It reflects the changing nature of photography at that time; It went from stiff, formal portraiture towards something more…narrative. One must remember Disdéri’s innovative role in popularizing carte de visite photography – these were easily reproducible and collected. Editor: So, these weren’t intended to be singular artworks, but rather multiplied and distributed? Was the Prince perhaps ahead of his time with a royal selfie strategy? Curator: Precisely! Think of it as an early form of public relations, disseminating images of the royal figure to a wider audience. Each little picture serves as a controlled snippet of his image. It offers different facets while retaining the air of majesty that befits the Crown Prince. It gives one the opportunity to study him. Doesn’t that change how we look at it now? Editor: Absolutely. It transforms from a collection of portraits to a calculated act of image-making. Thank you. Curator: Indeed, it opens new perspectives, doesn't it? Now when I see something that repeats and is designed to reflect different poses, it will take me to an archive photo and think about the meaning that image gives. Thank you.