Gezicht op het station te Groningen 1896

This photograph of the Groningen train station, taken by Johan Marinus Schalekamp, offers us a glimpse into the industrial age of the Netherlands. Photography itself is deeply intertwined with the modes of production, and it is also an early instance of the erosion of handcraft. This image represents much more than a mere depiction of a building; it embodies an industry supported by a workforce of countless laborers. Think of those who mined the materials and forged the steel, those who laid the bricks, and the many skilled and unskilled workers involved in the operation of the railway itself. The image has an objective quality that masks the labor involved. In this respect, Schalekamp’s photograph transcends its immediate subject, serving as a reminder of the profound connections between labor, infrastructure, and the rise of the industrial age. It invites us to consider the social and economic forces that shaped not only the landscape, but also the lives of those who inhabited it.