Gezicht op Le Mont-Dore 1902

This albumen print called “Gezicht op Le Mont-Dore” was created by Delizy. Without a date for the artwork, it is difficult to say for sure what this photograph might be communicating. However, we can still consider its social and cultural context. The French landscape, and the village nestled within it, is documented in the objective style typical of the mid-19th century. The lack of people or activity invites a sense of quiet observation. Photography at this time was gaining traction as a tool for documentation and tourism. Its function as a factual record opened possibilities, not just for artists, but for the rising middle classes to participate in the development of French society. To understand this work better, we might research the development of photography in France, and the growth of tourism in the 19th century. The meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.