Vier mannen met draagstoel op straat te China 1860 - 1885

This photograph, taken in China by Raimund von Stillfried, presents four men with a sedan chair, or "draagstoel." The photograph itself, a product of the darkroom, involved the meticulous labor of coating, exposing, and developing the image. Yet its subject also speaks to labor, specifically the practice of human conveyance. The chair, likely crafted from lacquered wood with textile accents, represents skilled craftsmanship. But it is the four men, who would have carried their passenger through the streets, who command our attention. Consider the social context: The photograph is a material artifact of its time, a moment of unequal power dynamics. Wealth is on display in the chair, but the real story lies in the labor of those who carry it. Photography, like this one, is not just an art, but a document of social relations. This image reminds us that to truly see an artwork, we must look beyond the surface and consider the processes, materials, and human effort that brought it into being.