Paar verscholen achter hoed en paraplu c. 1890 - 1910

This stereoscopic image, whose maker is the Universal Stereoscopic View Company, is an early form of mass media, printed onto card stock. These cards combine two nearly identical photographic images, and when viewed through a stereoscope, create a single three-dimensional picture. The process involves sophisticated darkroom chemistry, and the mass production of cheap optical devices. Think of it as the Victorian version of a virtual reality headset! Here, the subject matter is a couple seated on a bench, their faces obscured by a hat and umbrella, and entitled ‘Two Hearts that Beat as One’. The material qualities of the photograph are interesting: the sepia tone, the contrast between light and shadow, the texture of the card stock itself. But even more remarkable is the way the stereoscope collapses industrial and social contexts. The labour of photographers and printers made images like these widely available, so that everyone could appreciate this sentimental scene of romantic love. So when you look at this image, consider the labor and technology that went into its creation. It is a reminder that even the most intimate moments are often shaped by the forces of production and consumption.