Ruïne van slot Hohenbaden 1902

This photogravure of the Ruïne van slot Hohenbaden was made by Gustav Salzer, likely in the late 19th century. The photogravure process itself is fascinating; an image etched into a copper plate, then printed. It combines the mechanical objectivity of photography with the hand-crafted, reproducible nature of printmaking. Consider the relationship between the photogravure and its subject: the ruin of a once-stately castle. The castle’s stones, each one carefully quarried and placed by laborers, evoke generations of work and social hierarchy. Now, they are rendered as a scene of decay. Salzer has not only captured the physical structure, but also the passage of time. The photogravure process mirrors this, as each print bears the mark of its making, each one slightly different, subtly decaying even as it is created. This invites us to consider how all objects, whether grand castles or humble prints, are subject to the forces of time and entropy.