Rijtuig op een landweg, mogelijk nabij Arnhem, op de voorgrond de schaduw van de fotograaf 1889 - 1893

Johanna Margaretha Piek made this photograph, possibly near Arnhem, using gelatin silver print. In this image, we see a horse-drawn carriage on a country road, with the photographer’s shadow in the foreground, a subtle reminder of the labor involved in image-making. Piek's choice of gelatin silver, a popular process at the time, highlights the democratization of photography. However, it also raises questions about labor and class. The making of photographic materials involved factory workers, often toiling in harsh conditions. While Piek, as the photographer, had a certain level of creative control, she was also part of a larger system of production and consumption. Consider the amount of work embedded in the production of photographic paper, the development chemicals, and the camera itself. Piek's photograph then is not just a pretty picture, but an artifact that speaks to the complex relationship between art, labor, and industry. By considering the material and its making, we gain a deeper understanding of its cultural significance.