Portret van een onbekende visser van de Mohana-stam met een net en een stenen vat before 1872

This is a portrait of an unknown fisherman of the Mohana tribe with a net and a stone vat, captured by Henry Charles Baskerville Tanner. The photograph itself is a material object, of course: a chemical process rendered on paper. But consider also the fisherman's net: each knot carefully tied, a testament to the hand skills passed down through generations. Likewise, the large stone vat, likely crafted by hand using tools to shape and hollow the heavy material. These objects, both the net and the vat, speak to the fisherman's livelihood, his connection to the river, and the manual labor involved in sustaining his community. Photographs like this one often framed their subjects as exotic specimens, but let's not forget the artistry inherent in the fisherman's tools and the way of life they represent. By recognizing the value of these everyday objects, we expand our understanding of art beyond the confines of the gallery.