[Photo Collage: Woman on Ladder, Holding Spyglass with Man Holding Ladder, and Dog Standing on Hind Legs] 1870 - 1880

This late 19th-century photo collage was crafted by Juan Pedro Chabalgoity in Montevideo, Uruguay, using cut-and-pasted photographs on card stock. It blends the tradition of portraiture with absurdist imagery, achieved through meticulous handcraft. The artist carefully assembled fragments of photographs to construct a whimsical scene featuring a woman with a spyglass, a man holding a ladder, and a dog standing upright. The process relies on precise cutting and pasting techniques, demonstrating a skilled hand. This was not fine art with a capital ‘A’, but something closer to ephemera, or a commercial product. The materiality of the collage, with its layers of paper and adhesive, adds depth to the composition. These materials, combined with the depicted scene, engage with broader social issues of labor, class, and leisure during the late 19th century. The amount of labor involved in the production of such a piece invites us to consider the social and economic contexts in which it was created. Ultimately, understanding this artwork requires recognizing the artistry embedded in its construction and the ways it resonates with the society that produced it, blurring the lines between art and craft.