Portret van Anne Gesiena Nije-Doorwaard 1861 - 1874

This is a portrait of Anne Gesiena Nije-Doorwaard made by Albert Greiner, likely in the mid-19th century, and preserved as an albumen print. Photography in this period required a range of skills; not just the eye of an artist, but also the hand of a chemist. The albumen process involved coating a glass plate with light-sensitive chemicals, exposing it in a camera, and then developing it to create a negative. This negative was then placed on albumen paper and exposed to light, resulting in a positive print. The final print, in this case, captures the likeness of Anne Gesiena Nije-Doorwaard, and is a testament to the photographer’s mastery of process and materials. Consider too that in the 1800s, sitting for a photograph was an event. There was significant labor in the making, as well as a cultural investment in the image as a way of communicating status. So, when you look at this photograph, remember that it is not just an image, but the result of much labor, skill, and social meaning, challenging any distinction between fine art and craft.