Portret van een zittende vrouw met boek 1892 - 1906

This small photographic print by Machiel Hendricus Laddé captures a seated woman with a book. The albumen silver print, a popular process in the late 19th century, involves coating paper with albumen from egg whites, then sensitizing it with silver nitrate. The resulting print has a distinctive sepia tone and smooth surface. This process was favored for its ability to produce sharp, detailed images, although it could be labor-intensive, especially for large-scale production. In Laddé’s portrait, the materiality of the print influences our perception of the subject: the soft tones and fine details lending the image a sense of timeless elegance. The photographic print, as a medium, democratized portraiture, making images accessible to a wider audience, beyond the elite who could afford painted portraits. This little photograph speaks volumes about how technology, labor, and class intersect in the creation and consumption of images. It reminds us to appreciate the technical skill and labor involved in producing even the simplest of artworks.