Man en vrouw spelen dubbelspel op een tennisbaan before 1894

Hendrik Herman van den Berg made this photograph of a couple playing tennis using a gelatin silver process. In this period photography was evolving from a niche, highly skilled practice, into an activity available to amateurs. Gelatin silver prints like this one could be produced in larger quantities, which democratized access to image-making, but also raised questions about labor, consumption, and leisure. Note the image’s materiality. The gelatin silver process created a smooth surface, capturing a wide range of tones. This was different from earlier photographic processes. Van den Berg has captured a specific moment in time. In doing so, he engages with the relatively new phenomenon of leisure, of a middle class that has time to play sport. By considering materials, making, and context, we can see how photography has both expanded creative possibilities and transformed our understanding of society.