Studioportret van Margo Kessler op jeugdige leeftijd in een wit jurkje 1891 - 1895

This is a photographic portrait of Margo Kessler as a young girl, made by a photographer named Kameke. The sepia tone results from a chemical process widely used in early photography. The process involved coating a surface with light-sensitive materials, exposing it to light, and then developing the image. The subtle tonal variations we see here were meticulously controlled through darkroom techniques. Photography, from its inception, has been deeply intertwined with industrialization. The standardization of photographic materials and equipment allowed for the mass production of images. The labour was divided: camera and lens production, specialized chemical manufacture, darkroom technicians, and photographers themselves. This portrait of Margo Kessler gives us an intimate glimpse into the visual culture of the time. Appreciating the material and processes behind it allows us to move beyond the image itself and consider the social and economic forces that shaped its creation. This helps us to understand the broader context in which this image was produced and consumed, challenging any strict separation of photography and other artforms.