[A General View of MESHED from the roof of a hamam.] 1840 - 1869

Luigi Pesce made this albumen silver print, “A General View of MESHED from the roof of a hamam,” sometime in the 19th century. The materiality of photography itself is key to understanding this image. Albumen prints, popular then, were created using a coating of egg white on paper, providing a smooth surface for the photographic chemicals. This process, although seemingly simple, required careful preparation and skill, linking it to a longer history of craft practices. In this view of Mashhad, the choice of albumen print lends the scene a sepia tonality, which softens the architectural details. The image captures not just a place but a moment in time, preserved through the chemical reactions on the coated paper. The labor-intensive process of creating such a print highlights the value placed on capturing and documenting these vistas. By focusing on the materials and processes, we appreciate how photography, like other forms of craft, involves a deep engagement with materials, skill, and cultural context.