Doktoren A. Desjardins en Cervelli en manschappen in de Dolomieten 1916

This photograph, "Doktoren A. Desjardins en Cervelli en manschappen in de Dolomieten," was taken by Henri de Rothschild. As a photograph, its materiality is rooted in the gelatin silver process, but more importantly it reflects a moment in time, captured in a highly specific social context. The inherent qualities of the photographic image, its capacity to record and document, are utilized here to capture the figures of Doctors Desjardins and Cervelli in the Dolomite mountains. The choice of medium itself speaks to a desire to chronicle an event, and communicate social standing of the subjects. Consider the labor involved, not only in the making of the photograph, but in the scene it depicts, from the grooming of the mules to the outfitting of the men, these are elements that speak volumes about the relationship between wealth, status, and leisure, and the act of capturing this moment through photography elevates it to a cultural artifact. Recognizing the materials and the act of image-making encourages us to reconsider the wider social implications of the photograph.