Portret van Emma, koningin-regentes der Nederlanden, en Wilhelmina, koningin der Nederlanden 1880 - 1882

Maurits Verveer made this photographic print of Queen Emma and Wilhelmina using chemical processes on paper. Photography in the 19th century was a game of light, chemistry, and time. The photographer meticulously coated a plate, exposed it in the camera, and then developed the image. This was an exacting process that demanded technical skill, especially as the creation of repeatable images became more industrialized. The albumen print was a popular choice, with its glossy surface, achieved by coating paper in egg white. Looking at this print, consider the amount of labor embedded in such images. From those who mined the silver needed for the emulsion, to the workers who manufactured the paper, to the photographer themselves. It represents a collision of art, science, and industry, as the handmade became increasingly intertwined with mass production. Thinking about photography in this way allows us to appreciate not just the image, but also the complex layers of production and the changing social landscape that made it possible.