Jérusalem. Façade de l'Église Ste. Anne. 1860

Louis de Clercq created this photograph of the facade of the Church of Saint Anne in Jerusalem using the calotype process. This early photographic technique involved coating paper with silver iodide, exposing it in a camera, and then developing the latent image. The soft, slightly blurred quality of the calotype gives the stone of the church a tactile presence. We can almost feel the weight and rough texture of each block. Consider the labor involved, from the quarrying and shaping of the stones to the construction of the church itself. Now, that building is captured through the labor of a photographer, using a relatively new technology. De Clercq, as an upper-class amateur, could afford the time and expense involved in this kind of project. His work reflects both a personal artistic vision and the social and economic conditions that made it possible. By attending to the material processes behind this image, we gain a richer understanding of its historical and cultural significance, challenging any perceived divide between art, craft, and industry.