Twee fotoreproducties van een fototijdschrift en een aankondiging voor een fotoclub 1886

Here, we see two images, photographic reproductions of a photography magazine and a Photo-Club advertisement, created at an unknown date by an anonymous artist. These images are printed on the thin, matte paper of the book. Looking at the images, observe the labor involved in the photographic process itself. The photographers, and the printing process to which this image owes its circulation, reflects a fascinating point of transition in the history of visual culture. Photography democratized image-making, however, the mode of representation remained rooted in an older history of portraiture and painting. Note the contrast in values ​​between dark and light, made possible by the photographic paper’s surface. This contrast is essential to the images’ clarity, offering a tactile feel to the eye. Considering the materials, making, and context, encourages us to recognize the intertwined histories of art, craft, and industry, and question the values ​​we assign to each.