Portret van een vrouw 1860 - 1900

A.T. Osbourne made this small portrait of a woman using photography, a process reliant on optics and chemistry. The sepia tones and soft focus are achieved through darkroom processes, where the photographer manipulated light and chemical reactions on sensitized paper. Each print involved meticulous timing and expertise to coax the desired image from latent exposure. Photography democratized portraiture. Before, likenesses were only for the wealthy, who could hire a painter. But this intimate portrait also exists because of advancements in manufacturing, material science, and mass production. The photographer is essentially capturing light, and photography is therefore closely linked to industrialization and capitalism. Looking at this image, it’s important to appreciate that photography allowed more people to participate in image-making. It blurred the lines between art and craft.