Gezicht op het Hofburg paleis en de Volksgarten in Wenen, Oostenrijk 1866 - 1900

This photograph, showing the Hofburg palace and Volksgarten in Vienna, was made by M. Frankenstein & Co. Photography in this era involved meticulous work. Each print was the result of carefully coating paper with light-sensitive chemicals, exposing it to a negative, and then developing and fixing the image. The sepia tone results from the chemicals used. This one-off quality gave early photographs a precious aura, similar to fine art prints. But unlike unique artistic creations, photographs like this were often produced in multiples and sold as souvenirs, meeting the demands of a burgeoning tourism industry. So, the image embodies a contradiction, poised between the aura of craft and the accessibility of mass production. Considering the materials and making helps us understand the complex social life of this image, blurring the boundaries between art, craft, and commerce.