Oudekerksplein, gezien vanaf de Oudezijds Voorburgwal, Amsterdam 1859 - 1870

Editor: This photograph by Pieter Oosterhuis, taken sometime between 1859 and 1870, shows Oudekerksplein in Amsterdam rendered in gelatin silver. It has such a muted, almost dreamy quality to it. What stands out to you? Curator: What interests me immediately is the process. Think about what it took to create this image at that time, the labour involved. The gelatin silver print wasn't a simple point-and-shoot affair. There's a whole social history embedded in the making. What class of people were able to produce and consume these images? How did the means of production shape what we see represented here? Editor: That’s fascinating, I hadn’t considered that. So, the act of photographing itself became a class marker? Curator: Exactly. The materials – the gelatin, the silver – these weren't universally accessible. Oosterhuis was not simply documenting a cityscape; he was participating in a specific material culture, where technology was available based on socio-economic standing, shaping not just the final image, but the entire practice of photography itself. It prompts us to consider who controls the means of representation. Editor: So it moves beyond just a pretty picture and makes us think about labor and access. The perspective of a materialist really changes how you view even a still shot like this. Curator: Indeed! And furthermore, look closely at what's absent. Where are the masses, where is evidence of daily hardship and where does the idyllic life appear? Photography often omits, shaping our perceptions in ways aligned with the elite class responsible for funding or making this artwork. What is shown, and crucially what is *not* shown? Editor: This makes you rethink about art and access, and to not only observe what’s in the photograph but who has the possibility of taking a photo. Thanks! Curator: It's been enlightening to explore how the means of production influences our understanding of even seemingly straightforward images!