Vier zeilschepen, waaronder de Windward en Marguerite, te water c. 1880 - 1900

Editor: Here we have a photograph, “Vier zeilschepen, waaronder de Windward en Marguerite, te water,” created by James Adamson between 1880 and 1900, using the gelatin silver print process. It features four sailboats on the water. The soft, almost hazy quality of the print makes the scene feel very serene and contemplative. What strikes you about it? Curator: What immediately captures my attention is the process itself, gelatin silver printing. In this period, photography was undergoing rapid industrialization. Examining this photograph necessitates asking, what choices did Adamson make regarding materials? And how does this relatively accessible, reproducible medium engage with a subject typically associated with leisure and wealth—yachting? Editor: That’s a really interesting point. I hadn't considered the material choices in relation to the subject. Does the gelatin silver process make it a commodity in some way? Curator: Exactly! The relative ease and affordability of gelatin silver printing allowed for wider dissemination of images. Now think about yachting at the time. It was the pastime of the upper classes, built on industry and manufacturing to produce vessels for elite consumption and display. So, is this photograph democratizing a view of yachting, or aestheticizing labor by overlooking it, presenting only the spectacle? Editor: I guess it could be both, depending on who’s looking at it and how it’s being used. The process allows for wider viewership, but maybe still caters to the interests of the wealthy through picturesque subject matter? I never would have thought of that. Curator: Indeed, the act of capturing and reproducing these images raises significant questions about accessibility, class, and the relationship between technology, leisure, and labor at the turn of the century. Editor: So much to unpack in what looks like a simple seascape. I’ll never look at these photos the same way again. Curator: Likewise; understanding the tension between production and consumption changes how we understand value of photographs in the world.