Untitled
c. 1870
Medium
Albumen print
Dimensions
Image/paper: 26.7 × 20.7 cm (10 9/16 × 8 3/16 in.)
Classification
albumen silver print
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
92173
Art Historical Context
Constant Famin’s untitled albumen silver print, created around 1870, captures a moment when photography was rapidly evolving from a scientific curiosity into a respected artistic medium. Measuring just over 10 by 8 inches, the work exemplifies the intimate scale often favored by photographers of the period, inviting close viewing and careful contemplation of light, texture, and detail. The albumen print process itself was central to photography’s rise in the mid-nineteenth century. By suspending silver salts in egg-white emulsion on paper, practitioners like Famin achieved the fine tonal grad...