Athens_ View of Theseion and Acropolis 1870

Petros Moraites made this photograph, likely in the late 19th century, using a process that was then at the cutting edge. Photography was, from its very start, an unusual hybrid. On the one hand, there was the science – the precise chemistry of light-sensitive emulsions, and the mechanics of lenses and shutters. On the other, there was the sensibility of the artist, composing a scene and capturing a fleeting moment. Moraites clearly had a keen eye for fashion, framing the sitter in a way that emphasizes the cut of their jacket and the flamboyant plumage of their hat. But what does it mean to consider photography as a craft? Think of the darkroom, the careful manipulation of chemicals, and the patient labor required to produce a single print. In Moraites’ time, photography was not the instant, throwaway medium we know today. It was a painstaking process, and that effort is part of what makes this image so compelling. It bridges the gap between technology, artistry, and the everyday.