Portret van Lucie Broedelet 1897

Willem Witsen made this photograph, "Portret van Lucie Broedelet," using gelatin silver print, a process which dominated photographic printing for over a century, starting in the 1880s. The gelatin silver process involves coating paper with a light-sensitive emulsion of silver halide crystals in gelatin. When exposed to light, these crystals form a latent image, later made visible through chemical development. This technique allowed for sharper images and a wider range of tonal values compared to earlier photographic methods. Consider the social context: the gelatin silver process coincided with the rise of consumer culture and mass production. Photography became more accessible to the middle class, reflecting a shift in artistic expression and representation. Witsen, by using this relatively new process, engages with both artistic tradition and technological innovation. Thinking about process helps us understand the broader cultural shifts reflected in this photograph. It isn’t just a portrait; it’s a study in chemistry, industry, and artistic vision.