Japans paleis in Dresden 1860 - 1870

This stereoscopic photo, "Japan's Palace in Dresden," was made by Charles Gaudin using a camera and darkroom. The photograph, mounted on card, shows the play of light on stone and iron. Photography at this time was as much a craft as a science, and as such required a range of skills and tools. The camera, darkroom, glass plate negatives, and chemical solutions were all necessary. This image was created by taking two photographs simultaneously with a stereoscopic camera and then mounting them side by side on cardstock to create an illusion of depth when viewed through a stereoscope. Producing photographs such as this one was costly in terms of labor and materials, and was often the work of studios in the service of tourists or wealthy patrons. It also became a democratic medium, enabling ordinary people to see the world. The making of images like this one involved many hands, from photographers to chemical suppliers, attesting to the entwined histories of art, craft, and industrial production.