Exterieur van Vanderbilt Hall van Yale University te New Haven before 1895

This photograph captures the exterior of Vanderbilt Hall at Yale University in New Haven. We don’t know who made this print, but the photographic process itself is central to its meaning. Consider how photography democratized image-making, moving it away from the exclusive domain of painting. The texture of the print, its tonality, and the very act of freezing a moment in time, all speak to photography's unique qualities. It presents a seemingly objective record, yet every photograph involves choices: composition, exposure, and development, all influenced by the photographer's perspective. The construction of Vanderbilt Hall itself also involved labor, skill, and the transformation of raw materials into a built environment. Photography allows us to reflect on the values and aspirations embedded in such structures, and the social dynamics of their creation and use. By acknowledging the layers of making involved, we can better understand its cultural significance.