Photochemie und Beschreibung der photographischen Chemicalien 1890

This is a book, published in Berlin in 1890, titled "Photochemistry and Description of Photographic Chemicals" by Professor H. W. Vogel. Printed on paper and bound in cloth, this book represents a moment when photography was rapidly evolving from an esoteric practice to a widespread one. Consider the context of the book's production: paper pulped, pressed, and printed, cloth woven and cut, and binding all completed through a combination of handcraft and early industrialization. Each stage relies on the skilled labour of many hands, often under harsh working conditions. The book itself, a repository of knowledge, is also a product of its time, reflecting the increasing accessibility of education and technology. The book’s physicality, its weight and texture, its very existence as an object, is a testament to the labour and materials required for its creation. It prompts us to consider not only the content within its pages, but also the social and economic systems that allowed its production and distribution. The book is a reminder that even the most seemingly intellectual pursuits are grounded in material realities.