Portret van een onbekende zittende vrouw 1871 - 1877

Louis Robert Werner made this portrait of an unknown woman using photography, a relatively new medium at the time. This albumen print would have been produced using a process that involved coating paper with egg white and then exposing it to light through a negative. Looking closely, the material qualities of the photograph itself contribute to the overall impression. The sepia tones and soft focus lend a sense of nostalgia, while the slight imperfections and variations in tone remind us of the hand-made nature of early photographic processes. This highlights the labor involved in creating this image, from preparing the chemicals to carefully posing the sitter. The rise of photography was closely tied to industrialization and capitalism. It provided a relatively affordable way for people to document their lives and project a certain image of themselves to the world. This portrait, in its material form and social context, offers a glimpse into the lives and aspirations of people during a transformative period in history, challenging the traditional distinctions between fine art and everyday life.