Gezicht op Alassio 1860 - 1890

Celestino Degoix captured this view of Alassio, Italy using photography, a relatively new medium at the time, especially for capturing landscapes. The albumen print process, dominant in the mid-19th century, involved coating paper with albumen, or egg white, and then sensitizing it with silver nitrate. This created a surface that, when exposed to light through a negative, would reveal a detailed image. The sepia tones and soft focus, inherent to the albumen process, imbue the photograph with a romantic quality, a common aesthetic of the era. Photography, unlike painting, was seen as an objective medium, a direct imprint of reality. However, the labor-intensive preparation of the albumen paper and the controlled conditions required for exposure reveal a more complex relationship between technology and human skill. Consider the time and effort involved in setting up the shot, preparing the chemicals, and printing the image. This photograph, while seemingly straightforward, embodies a blend of industrial innovation and craft production, challenging our notions of art, labor, and value.