Gezicht op berggroep de Langkofel in de Dolomieten, Italië before 1878

This photograph of the Langkofel mountain group in the Dolomites, Italy, was created by Eugène Goblet d'Alviella. The photograph’s sepia tones and subtle gradations draw us into its textured surfaces; the mountain’s rocky crags and weathered faces are sharply defined. The photographic process itself – from the labor of setting up the camera, to the meticulous work in the darkroom – would have been time-intensive. The value of the image comes not just from its aesthetic appeal, but also as a record of a specific place and moment in time. Interestingly, the facing page describes the village of Saint-Ulrich and its local wood carving industry, and the degree to which production is divided. A whole economy is described around the image of the landscape, which can be seen to be a type of extraction. Paying attention to materials, making, and context allows us to challenge the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft.