Alte Pinakothek in München, Duitsland 1868

This image of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, Germany, was created by Charles Gaudin using photography, a technology still relatively new at the time. Photography in the 19th century required laborious chemical processes, from coating glass plates with light-sensitive emulsion to careful development in darkrooms. Each print was a unique object made by hand. Gaudin's studio in Paris likely employed many skilled workers to produce these stereoscopic images, which offered viewers a captivating 3D experience. The very act of capturing this grand building through photography democratized art. Unlike painted portraits or landscapes reserved for the wealthy, photographic views made art and architecture accessible to a broader public. This image thus reflects the changing landscape of art and labor during the rise of industrial production and consumer culture. It invites us to consider how new materials and processes influence not only the appearance of art but also its social significance, blurring the lines between fine art and everyday experience.