Gezicht op Bergen, Noorwegen 1861 - 1870

This albumen print of Bergen, Norway, was made by Knud Knudsen sometime in the late 19th century. The albumen process, popular then, involved coating paper with egg whites and silver nitrate, creating a surface that captured fine details. Knudsen was a pioneer in Norwegian photography, and used the wet collodion process which was the cutting edge technology at the time. It demanded meticulous preparation and immediate development. The choice of photography, and the wet collodion process, would have been regarded as something new, linked to industrialization and expanding economies. The sharp detail and tonal range showcase the capacity of the medium to render landscapes with precision. The making is deeply intertwined with the rise of tourism, offering views of Norway as a commodity. So, considering the materials and making of this piece allows us to contemplate the convergence of technology, tourism, and the changing perception of landscapes in the 19th century.