General view of the city from Villa Flora, Bella Scuardo, Florence before 1877

This photograph of Florence, taken by J. Greer, is a silver gelatin print. The process involves coating a support, likely paper, with light-sensitive silver halides. The material properties of gelatin are crucial here; it binds the silver particles and allows for the creation of a detailed image. This process was a product of the industrial revolution, with factories churning out photographic materials for a burgeoning market. The ease of production also changed how cities were perceived. The photograph itself flattens the urban landscape, turning the city into a commodity available for consumption. Yet, it also preserves a moment in time, showing Florence at a particular stage of its development. This complicates any easy reading of photography as purely a tool of capitalism. It becomes a means of preserving history, memory, and place. By understanding the materials and processes involved in creating this photograph, we can appreciate its complexities and its relationship to broader social and cultural forces.