Interieur van een kroeg met mensen 1855 - 1872

This is a stereoscopic card, which would have been viewed through a special device to give a sense of three-dimensionality, showing an anonymous bar scene. We don't know who made it, but it was likely mass produced. The photographic process used here, though cutting-edge for its time, involved a great deal of labor. Consider the steps involved in creating such an image. The preparation of the glass plate negative, the exposure, the chemical development. All these are highly skilled processes. And of course, the making of the stereoscopic card itself. The photograph itself is a slice of everyday life. It offers a glimpse into a social space that was likely important to many people. As we look, we might reflect on the labour and leisure, the class distinctions, and the culture of consumption that are all brought together in this small object. It blurs boundaries between art, commerce and everyday experience.