Twee vrouwen die maïs malen c. 1850 - 1865

This albumen silver print, "Twee vrouwen die maïs malen," was created by Francis Frith. The composition is strikingly simple: two figures symmetrically positioned before a textured stone wall. Frith uses a restrained palette, focusing on gradations of light and shadow to model form. This limited range emphasizes the materiality of the scene—the rough texture of the stone, the folds in the women’s garments, and the granular quality of the earth. The figures are arranged to form a tableau, their positioning implying a rhythmic, repetitive action. This is a deliberate staging by Frith, intended to capture and exoticize a traditional practice for a Western audience. He uses the photograph to fix a cultural image. The structural arrangement suggests an implicit power dynamic.