Gezicht op de het haventerrein en een stoomboot ter hoogte van de Spoorweghaven en de huidige Eva Cohen-Hartogkade c. 1878 - 1900

F. von Pöppinghausen made this albumen print, showing the Spoorweghaven docks, sometime in the late 19th century. The photographic process itself is crucial to understanding the artwork. Albumen printing involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, creating a surface sensitive to light. This method yielded sharp, detailed images, perfectly suited to capturing the textures and structures of the industrial landscape, such as the bridge’s timber construction, the brickwork of the buildings, and the formidable steamship at dock. You can imagine Pöppinghausen carefully preparing his materials, setting up his equipment, and meticulously timing the exposure. The resulting image isn't just a record, but a study of labor and industry. The presence of workers, loading and unloading cargo, underscores the sheer amount of human effort that fueled the era’s economic expansion. Recognizing the artistry in both the making of the photograph, and in the scene it depicts, helps us appreciate the intertwined histories of fine art, craft, and the industrial revolution.