Gezicht op de Porte Saint-Georges te Nancy before 1896

This print of the Porte Saint-Georges in Nancy is an anonymous work, meticulously crafted through the photogravure process. Photogravure, unlike simpler printing methods, involves considerable labor, combining photography, etching, and intaglio printmaking, which is a process where the image is incised into a metal plate, and then inked to create a richly detailed print. The tonal range and fine details seen here speak to the skill required for this technique. The process carries social significance, as the photogravure enabled the wide distribution of architectural images, democratizing access to the city’s iconic structures. But it also speaks to a very specific historical moment, when traditional craft skills were being adapted to the modernizing influence of photographic technology. Considering this, we recognize not just the image of a city gate, but also the transition from traditional artisanship to industrial modes of production. The print serves as a reminder of the labor involved in image-making, and how it ties to wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption.