Zilversmelterij in San Francisco 1871 - 1891

Here is the audio guide description of the artwork: Carleton Watkins created this stereograph, “Zilversmelterij in San Francisco,” to document the industrial landscape of the American West. Watkins made a name for himself photographing Yosemite Valley, but he also captured the rapid industrial expansion following the Gold Rush. This image presents an interior view of a silver smelting operation. An unidentified young worker stands in the foreground, perhaps a Chinese immigrant, given discriminatory hiring practices at the time. His presence offers a glimpse into the labor force that powered the era’s economic boom. It prompts us to consider their stories, resilience, and contributions amidst the backdrop of the burgeoning mining industry. Watkins’s lens invites reflection on the human cost of progress. This photograph serves as both a historical record and a poignant commentary on the complexities of identity, labor, and progress in the American West. It encourages us to reflect on whose stories are told and whose are often left out of the frame.