Berglandschap met militaire weg in Georgië c. 1890 - 1900

This photograph, "Berglandschap met militaire weg in Georgië", was created by Dimitri Ivanovitch Ermakov in the late 19th or early 20th century, using photographic processes that were then state-of-the-art. Consider the materiality of this image: paper, coated with light-sensitive chemicals, and exposed to capture a scene, then processed with further chemicals to fix the image. The photograph’s subject - a rugged landscape, and a road that seems carved right into the mountainside - speaks volumes about labor and power. The road itself would have required massive amounts of human effort. The photograph is not just a neutral record, but a document of ambition, labor, and control of the landscape. Ermakov was keenly aware of the social context of his work, and his choice of subject matter, and his technical mastery are intrinsically linked. Looking closely at the materials and processes used to create artworks such as this photograph can give us a deeper understanding of their cultural significance. It encourages us to look beyond the surface and consider the stories embedded within the materials themselves.