Tomb of Shakespeare c. 19th century

Francis Bedford made this photograph of Shakespeare's tomb sometime in the 19th century. It's an albumen print, a process that involves coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, then exposing it to light through a negative. The warm, sepia tones and soft focus of the image are characteristic of this technique. Bedford meticulously captured the details of the church interior, from the stained glass windows to the carved stonework, and the checkered floors. The way the light filters through the stained glass creates a sense of reverence, emphasizing the cultural significance of this location as a place of pilgrimage. But consider the labor involved in producing an albumen print. From preparing the paper to the careful development and printing process, photography at this time was still a laborious handcraft. This highlights how the production of images, even in the age of mechanical reproduction, was deeply rooted in craft and skilled labor. It's a reminder that even photography has its own materiality and making process.