Zijgevel van het Koninklijk Weeshuis te Buren 1895 - 1916

Hendrikus Jacobus van den Anker made this photograph of the Zijgevel van het Koninklijk Weeshuis te Buren, using photographic paper and chemical development processes. The material of photography directly influences the image's appearance, capturing the texture of the brick facade, roof tiles, and window frames of the orphanage. Think of photography as a powerful tool that democratizes image-making, allowing for the mass production of images in ways that artisanal processes like painting or sculpture never could. The photograph serves as a piece of social documentation of the orphanage, capturing a moment in time and revealing the architectural details of the building. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, photography was also closely tied to wider social issues of labor and politics. The photograph's emphasis on material, making, and context challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.