Before this time, people who had money would have portraits and mini-portraits (which were amazing), done by artist so they could take a likeness of their loved one(s) with them...the wallet size photos so to speak although they were mostly placed in small lockets. The detail it took to create these mini-portraits is extraordinary.
Think of a world without pictures if you can. How quickly would the image of my parents fade if I didn't have pictures to remind me of what they looked like? We are blessed to live in a time where moments can be captured so easily. When counting your blessings add this to the many we have.