Twee gezichten op het kasteel van Chinchow before 1895

This photographic print, created by the Ordnance Survey Office, shows us two views of the castle of Chinchow. While the camera's lens and photographic paper might seem like purely objective tools, their use here underscores the deep interrelation of technology, social context, and political power. The images, stark in their contrast, capture both a distant view and the aftermath of the castle's fall, revealing the impact of Japanese artillery. Notice how the materiality of photography itself—its capacity to capture and disseminate images—becomes a tool of documentation and, perhaps, propaganda. The precision of the Ordnance Survey Office, an institution dedicated to mapping and documenting landscapes, is here deployed in the service of military observation. Considering the context of imperialism and conflict, it becomes clear that the image's function transcends mere representation. Instead, this work encourages us to consider the labor, politics, and consumption embedded within the production of these images and their wider social implications. Recognizing this challenges our understanding of fine art and craft.