Boeren bij een ossenkar op een akker, Pavie before 1896

A. Bucquet made this small photograph, "Boeren bij een ossenkar op een akker, Pavie," or "Farmers with an ox cart in a field, Pavie," using a chemical process on paper. The image captures a rural scene, deeply rooted in labor and traditional methods. The sepia tones and the texture of the print itself give it a feeling of being a historical document. Look closely, and you can see the material reality of farm work: the weight of the cart, the furrowed earth, and the muscular exertion required of both the farmers and their animals. The photograph is not just a depiction of labor, but a kind of artifact created through labor. This piece encourages us to consider photography not only as a means of representation but also as a material practice tied to wider social issues. In this image, the camera mediates labor, as it captures labor.