Paardenkoets met mannen erin en mannen in een bos tijdens een picknick before 1895

Edouard Adelot, one of the collaborators of this book, took these photographs. They are collotypes, a printmaking process that relies on coating a plate with light-sensitive emulsion. The particular tonal range achieved through collotype printing lends a distinctive feel to these images. The soft focus and subtle gradations of light and shadow evoke a sense of nostalgia, befitting of the scene depicted: an elegant carriage ride culminating in a leisurely picnic. But the act of capturing and reproducing these moments speaks to a society increasingly fascinated with documentation. Photography, as a technology, made images more accessible and reproducible than ever before. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, the photographs offer a glimpse into the lives of the privileged classes. The horse-drawn carriage and elaborate picnic suggest wealth and leisure, hinting at the social stratification of the late 19th century. By attending to the material qualities of these prints, and the social context in which they were made, we gain a deeper appreciation for the layers of meaning embedded within.