Amazone zu Pferde bij de entree van het Altes Museum in Berlijn 1860 - 1866

This photographic print captures the bronze sculpture of the ‘Amazone zu Pferde’ at the Altes Museum in Berlin. While the artist who made the photograph is anonymous, the print itself speaks volumes about the materials, processes, and social context of its time. The photograph is likely made using the albumen print process, popular in the mid-19th century. This involved coating paper with albumen from eggs, then sensitizing it with silver nitrate. This crafted process yielded a sharp image with a glossy surface, capturing a high level of detail. In this photograph, the contrast between the solid sculpture and the flat surface creates an interplay of textures. The bronze sculpture depicts an Amazon warrior on horseback, symbolizing strength and authority. Prints like these were not just art objects, but commodities, produced and consumed within a burgeoning market for images. The circulation of such images democratized access to art and culture, challenging traditional distinctions between high art and craft, and making art more accessible to a wider audience.