Interieur van Westminster Abbey before 1899

This photograph of the interior of Westminster Abbey was printed in an anonymous publication. Likely a photogravure, the image involved a labor-intensive process, beginning with a copper plate that was coated with a light-sensitive gelatin tissue, exposed to a photographic negative, then etched with ferric chloride. The appeal of photogravure lay in its ability to produce continuous tones, resulting in prints with rich detail and a subtle, velvety texture. The ink is literally pressed into the paper, giving the image a three-dimensional quality. While photography promised democratization, this particular process speaks to a more complex dynamic. Its reliance on skilled labor and specialized equipment ensured that fine art photography remained somewhat exclusive. Thus, even as the medium expanded its reach, it also reinforced existing hierarchies of taste and class. The image of Westminster Abbey itself, a monument to power, only reinforces this effect.