River Scene c. 1855

This is a photograph of a river scene, made by G.B. Gething sometime between 1830 and 1930. The sepia tones come from the photographic process itself, likely an albumen print. In that technique, the image is captured on glass, then transferred to paper coated with egg white. This creates a smooth surface that yields great detail, but it’s also labor-intensive. The albumen had to be carefully prepared, the prints exposed in sunlight. Photography in this period was a chemical craft as much as an art, requiring expertise and careful labor. This image, with its serene depiction of nature, reminds us that even seemingly straightforward pictures are the product of hands, materials, and a particular social moment. It wasn't as simple as pointing and shooting. The level of craft involved challenges our assumptions about photography as purely a documentary medium.