Deel van de gevel van Wijnstraat 70 te Dordrecht c. 1875 - 1900

This photograph, by A.J.M. Mulder, captures a section of the facade at Wijnstraat 70 in Dordrecht. It’s made using a photographic printing process, likely albumen or gelatin silver, techniques that were widely adopted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for their clarity and ability to capture fine detail. The image itself documents a structure made of brick and stone, materials inextricably linked to human labor. Think of the brick-making process: the extraction of clay, the molding and firing, the construction of walls, all skilled tasks passed down through generations. The facade's ornamentation, though eroded by time, speaks of craft traditions—stone carving and bricklaying elevated to an art form. The photograph, thus, is not just a visual record but also a document of social and economic relations. It invites us to consider the labor invested in the built environment and the cultural significance of these material choices. Ultimately, it blurs the boundaries between architecture, craft, and photography, reminding us that all forms of making are deeply interwoven.