Untitled c. 1895

This photograph was made by William H. Rau sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. It’s a silver print, a process which was the bedrock of commercial photography for many years. The image shows a grand hotel, complete with turrets and shaded verandas. We can imagine wealthy clients arriving in horse-drawn carriages, just like the one we see in the foreground. The very crispness and clarity of the image are due to the chemical properties of the silver compounds involved, and also the labor that went into the process. This was an artisanal practice, but it was also an industrial one. A photographer like Rau was running a business, producing images for widespread consumption. In its own way, the photograph embodies the same capitalist spirit that built the hotel itself. So, the next time you see a vintage photograph, remember that it’s not just a window to the past, it’s also an artifact of the economic system of its time. It's a potent reminder that materials and making are always tied to social issues of labor, politics, and consumption.