Portret van Constance Nantier-Didiée c. 1857 - 1862

This photograph of Constance Nantier-Didiée was made by André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri, using a process called albumen print, a popular technique in the 19th century. The albumen print begins with coating paper with egg white and then sensitizing it with silver nitrate. This light-sensitive surface is then exposed to a negative, creating a detailed, sepia-toned image. It's a process demanding precision: each print requires skill in coating, exposure, and development. It's also intimately tied to burgeoning consumerism and the rise of celebrity culture, as figures like Constance Nantier-Didiée gain visibility through mass-produced images. The photograph's texture and tones, a direct result of the chemical reactions on the paper's surface, invite us to consider the labor-intensive process behind each image. The rise of photography also shifted art from unique handmade objects to reproducible images, reshaping how we perceive art and its role in society.