Gildehuis Kaiserworth in Goslar, Duitsland 1876

This stereoscopic image shows the Gildehuis Kaiserworth in Goslar, Germany, and was made by Sophus Williams in 1876. It is a photograph, a seemingly straightforward medium, yet rich in social context. Consider the materiality of the photographic print; thin paper, coated with light-sensitive chemicals. The process involved a skilled technician, the photographer, manipulating light and chemistry to capture a specific view. It also required the labour of others, who prepared the chemicals and printed the final image. Photography in the 19th century was both an artistic pursuit and a burgeoning industry. Images like this were mass-produced, fueling a growing market for tourism and visual documentation. What appears as a simple snapshot is, in fact, deeply embedded in the economic and social transformations of the time. The image is not just a record, but a product of a complex web of labor, technology, and capital. This reminds us that all images are made, not just taken.