Kade aan de Seine in Rouen met schepen, tonnen en paardenkarren 1896

This albumen print shows the Quai de la Seine in Rouen, with ships, barrels, and horse-drawn carts. The image presents a busy commercial scene in France. The barrels suggest an active wine or spirits trade, reflecting the economic importance of Rouen as a port city. The presence of both traditional sailing ships and steam-powered vessels indicates a transitional moment in maritime technology and trade. The photograph captures a specific time and place, but it also tells us about the institutional structures that supported this activity, such as customs houses, merchant guilds, and transport networks. Historians use a variety of resources to interpret these scenes. Trade records, port manifests, and local histories can help us understand the economic and social context of the image. Photography itself was an emerging institution at the time, with its own conventions and power structures. Ultimately, this image reminds us that art and commerce are always embedded in a complex web of social and institutional relations.