Portret van een man met bakkebaarden c. 1853 - 1870

Peter Wotke made this portrait of a man with sideburns using the daguerreotype process, one of the earliest forms of photography. The image is created on a silvered copper plate, which was polished to a mirror finish, then sensitized to light by exposure to iodine fumes. After the plate was exposed in the camera, it was developed using mercury vapor, fixed with a solution of sodium thiosulfate, and sealed under glass to protect its delicate surface. This intricate, manual process stands in stark contrast to the ease of modern digital photography. In the 19th century, it represented a significant investment of time and skill, both on the part of the photographer and the sitter, who would have to remain still for an extended period. The daguerreotype marks a shift in our relationship to image-making, from handcrafted representations to mechanically produced likenesses. This tension between handcraft and technology is central to understanding the cultural significance of early photography.