Opstelling met klokken, kandelaren van Matifat op de Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations van 1851 in Londen 1851

This photograph by C.M. Ferrier and F. von Martens captures Matifat’s clocks and candelabras displayed at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. The Great Exhibition was a watershed moment in the history of industrial capitalism. Held at the Crystal Palace, it was intended to showcase the achievements of the industrial revolution and to celebrate free trade and international cooperation. This image creates meaning through its documentation of the cultural event. It immortalizes the consumer goods and communicates social status through them. Photography here serves as a tool of documentation, and in this case, helps the consolidation of institutional power through recording a significant historical event. Further understanding of this historical context can be achieved by delving into exhibition catalogs, newspaper articles, and personal accounts from the time. Examining the role of institutions in promoting and shaping art enhances our understanding of its meaning. The significance of art is always reliant on cultural and institutional contexts.