Aankomst van de 'Uiver' 1934

This photograph captures the arrival of the ‘Uiver’ aircraft, made by an anonymous photographer using gelatin silver print. The gelatin silver process, dominant in the early 20th century, involves coating paper with light-sensitive silver halide crystals. This process democratized photography, allowing for mass production of images, and wide documentation of everyday life. Here, it immortalizes a moment of technological advancement and national pride. Consider the labor involved: from the factory workers producing the photographic materials, to the photographer capturing the image, and the pilot and crew who flew the plane, the image speaks to broader networks of labour, technology, and transportation. The photograph reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images are the result of extensive social and industrial processes.