Oudeschans en Montelbaanstoren, Amsterdam 1868 - 1890

This stereoscopic photograph of Oudeschans and Montelbaanstoren in Amsterdam was captured anonymously, using a process that was both cutting-edge and deeply implicated in the rise of consumer culture. Stereoscopy involves taking two images, from slightly different perspectives, and then viewing them in a way that merges them into a single, three-dimensional picture. It became incredibly popular in the mid-19th century. The cards were relatively cheap, and the viewing devices affordable, bringing a taste of exotic locations right into people's homes. The materiality of this object, the way the light interacts with the treated paper, giving depth and form to the architectural details, is essential to its appeal. Beyond the purely representational aspect, you have a sense of the labor involved in creating the photographic negative, printing it, and mounting the image. This wasn't just about art, but about democratizing access to visual experience. It's a great reminder that how something is made, and why, matters just as much as what it depicts.