Poverty in Paris 1931

Ilse Bing made this photograph, "Poverty in Paris," using gelatin silver print, a process that involves coating paper with light-sensitive silver halides. The choice of this photographic method is especially compelling, because the gelatin silver process was itself becoming industrialized at this time. The dark sepia palette and shallow depth of field bring the men to the foreground, and emphasize the roughness of their coats, pants, and boots, presumably made in a factory for the working class. In this image, Bing captured the appearance of her subjects, and in so doing, she exposed social strata of the era. The image evokes the labor and economic conditions of the time period. By recognizing the significance of materials, making, and context, we gain a profound understanding of the artwork, bridging the divide between fine art and the intricacies of material culture.