Gymnastiek before 1894

Hendrik Herman van den Berg's photograph captures a gymnastics team, posed in a human pyramid. The silver gelatin printing process used here involved coating paper with light-sensitive silver halides, a technique accessible to professional photographers at the time. Consider the social context: the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of gymnastics as a form of nationalistic expression and physical discipline. These men aren't just posing; they're enacting a carefully constructed display of teamwork and strength, physically supporting each other. Look at the striped uniforms, which further unify the group, blurring individual identities into a collective unit. The photograph itself captures a moment of carefully coordinated labor, made possible by industrial materials and the professional photographer's skills. Van den Berg has skillfully captured this moment in time with the social implications of labor, teamwork, and physical prowess. The photograph bridges the divide between documentary and artistic expression.