[Photo Collage: Man Wearing Cross Body Satchel] 1870 - 1880

This curious photo collage was made by Juan Pedro Chabalgoity in Montevideo, though its exact date is unknown. Assembled from cut photographs, the image depicts a figure with an oversized head, dressed in folk attire and holding a tool. The technique of photo collage, while related to fine art, here it owes more to the world of commercial printing. Consider the texture of the pasted paper, and the precision with which Chabalgoity combined these disparate images. It's a reminder that even seemingly 'low' practices can involve considerable skill. These were produced for mass consumption, likely as calling cards or whimsical souvenirs. We might also ask: who is this man meant to be? What kind of labor does he perform? The answers to these questions are less important than the underlying point. As this collage shows us, categories like ‘high art’ and ‘low craft’ are never as clear-cut as we might think.