Exterieur van het woonhuis van de portier van Uppingham School before 1870

Charles Drake made this albumen print, titled 'Exterieur van het woonhuis van de portier van Uppingham School,' in the 1870s. Photography at this time was a complex alchemical process. Glass negatives were coated with a light-sensitive emulsion, exposed in the camera, and then printed onto paper using sunlight and chemical developers. Each print was unique, its tones dependent on the skill of the photographer and the time of day. But beyond the technical aspects, this image speaks to a social context. Drake’s meticulous rendering of the Uppingham School porter’s house offers a glimpse into the Victorian class structure. The very act of photographing such a building elevates it, suggesting a fascination with the built environment and the social order it represents. The labor involved in producing the photograph – from the darkroom processes to the sheer physical effort of transporting equipment – underscores the value placed on capturing this particular subject. In the end, this albumen print isn’t just a picture. It’s a testament to the intertwined histories of technology, labor, and social status.