Portret van E.M. Paul 1871

Oswald H. Allen made this photograph, titled “Portret van E.M. Paul,” using the technique of albumen print. This portrait of E.M. Paul is a window into the visual culture of its time; though undated, we can assume it was made sometime in the mid-to-late nineteenth century, likely in Europe or the United States. It comes from an era where photography was transforming from a scientific curiosity into a powerful tool for documentation and social representation. Consider the sitter's attire and pose, and the overall formality of the image. These visual cues tell us about the sitter’s social standing. Middle and upper class individuals were the main subjects of these early photographic portraits, which aimed to project an image of respectability and decorum. As historians, to understand this image fully, we'd want to know about the studio where it was made, the broader market for photographic portraits, and the conventions that governed how people presented themselves to the camera. These details would help us place this image within its proper historical context.