Gezicht op de Trou du Diable (Devil's Hole) op Jersey 1896

Here is a photograph of the Devil’s Hole on Jersey, made by Delizy. The image is executed in albumen print, a popular photographic process of the 19th century. It gives the image its distinctive sepia tone, the result of coating paper with albumen from egg whites, then sensitizing it with silver nitrate. This technique, while valued for its detail and tonal range, was labor-intensive. The photographer needed to mix chemicals, coat the paper, expose the print, and then carefully wash and tone it. The photograph’s materiality is tied to wider issues of labor and politics, from the extraction of raw materials, to the intellectual property of the photographic process. Photography democratized image-making, but the skills and material conditions required were not available to all. Paying attention to materials, making, and context allows us to appreciate the complex layers of meaning, challenging any separation between fine art and craft.