[John Pettie] 1860s

This portrait of John Pettie was made in London sometime in the mid-19th century by John and Charles Watkins, who were among the most celebrated photographers of their day. Photographs like this one were popular amongst the rising middle classes in Victorian England. Photography studios emerged to meet the increasing demand, and these cartes-de-visite, or visiting cards, became a social currency. This portrait of Pettie creates meaning through the sitter’s implicit social status, referencing the cultural and economic structures of Victorian society. Understanding the function and cultural value of the carte-de-visite allows us to understand how photography studios operated as institutions that shaped social status. A deeper understanding of the historical context of the image can be achieved through careful research into the archives of photography studios, publications in the popular press, and social histories of the era. Through this kind of research, we start to see the many ways that social and institutional contexts are essential to the meaning of art.