Study of a Hand
Medium
albumen print
Dimensions
image/sheet: 17.3 × 12.3 cm (6 13/16 × 4 13/16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Patrons' Permanent Fund
Accession Number
1995.36.123
Art Historical Context
Created in 1865, *Study of a Hand* exemplifies the early artistic and scientific uses of photography during the medium’s rapid development in the nineteenth century. At a time when photographers were exploring the camera’s ability to capture detail beyond human sight, thisen print isolates a single hand, transforming an ordinary subject into an object of careful observation. Such studies often served practical purposes, from anatomical reference for artists and medical professionals to demonstrations of photographic technique. The albumen process itself was revolutionary. Introduced in the ea...