Africa occidental 1886

This is the cover of 'Africa occidental, album photographico e descriptivo', an album made by José Augusto da Cunha Moraes. At first glance, the materials seem quite straightforward: paper, ink, and binding cloth. But the labor embedded in their production tells a complex story. The paper itself, likely mass-produced, speaks to industrialization and its global reach. The ink, carefully applied through printing, represents a shift from hand-lettering to mechanical reproduction, a change in labor practice. Even the binding, though seemingly simple, suggests skilled handwork combined with factory processes. The creation of this album represents a specific intersection of artistry, commerce, and colonial power. The mass production of printed images like this made it accessible for wider distribution to middle class consumers back in Europe. Thinking about the material and process helps us to see this album not just as a historical document, but as a product of its time, reflecting the social, economic, and political forces at play.