Man wordt in een mand aan boord getakeld c. 1880 - 1910

Editor: Here we have a gelatin silver print from around 1880 to 1910 titled "Man wordt in een mand aan boord getakeld." It looks to depict a man being lifted onto a ship in a basket. It has a gritty feel that I wasn’t expecting! What stands out to you? Curator: I'm drawn to the sheer materiality of this image. The texture of the basket, the rough-hewn planks of the ship, even the granular quality of the gelatin silver print itself. Look at how the method of transport, a simple woven basket, contrasts with the implied global scale of maritime travel. Do you see that tension? Editor: Yes, absolutely. The basket seems so…primitive, compared to the steel of the ship. Curator: Exactly! It points to the complex layering of technology and labor. Who made the basket? Where did the materials come from? What were the working conditions of the crew? This image isn't just about transport; it's about the relationships of production at play. It challenges the idea of seamless industrial progress, showing us the persistent reliance on craft and manual labor even in industrialized settings. Editor: So, you are saying the photograph really emphasizes how all of these disparate modes of making and labor exist alongside each other. I hadn't thought about it that way. Curator: Precisely. It urges us to consider the often-overlooked human element embedded within broader systems. Think of the photographer's process, the darkroom work. How does that labor connect to the scene depicted? Editor: That gives me a new way to consider photographs—as objects with their own history of production. Curator: Indeed. By focusing on materials and process, we reveal deeper social and economic realities.