Huis van een moslim 1903 - 1910

Hendrik Doijer made this photograph using the wet collodion process, a popular method in the late 19th century, characterized by its distinctive tonal range. In this process, a glass plate was coated with light-sensitive chemicals right before the exposure inside of the camera. This explains its slightly faded appearance and soft focus. The subject of the photograph, a modest house, is framed by a picket fence and overgrown foliage, which could indicate the effects of labor and class. The material, with its inherent limitations and its unique aesthetic qualities, highlights the amount of time and work involved in producing this image. It offers us insight into the artist’s world and the society in which he lived, highlighting the importance of photography as a burgeoning art form, and its complicated ties to labor, politics, and consumption.