Sculptuur van de Wetenschap 1876

This photograph, taken by Sophus Williams in Berlin, shows a sculpture called “Die Wissenschaft von Tondeur,” or "The Science of Tondeur." The image's material qualities are closely tied to its cultural significance. Photography in the 19th century was a complex process, involving not only the photographer's skill but also the labor of those who prepared the chemicals and equipment. The albumen print, popular at the time, required coating paper with egg white, making even a simple photograph a labor-intensive object. Photographs like this one were often sold as souvenirs or educational tools, allowing people to experience art and culture from afar. The photograph flattens the sculpture's three-dimensionality, yet captures its form and texture, mediating our experience. By emphasizing its materiality and production, we recognize the complex social relations that shaped not only the sculpture itself but also its reproduction and distribution. This challenges the idea of art as purely aesthetic, revealing its entanglement with labor, commerce, and the wider world.