Panorama van Amsterdam, gezien vanaf (vermoedelijk) de Dam in zuidelijke richting 1864 - 1875

Andreas Theodorus Rooswinkel created this photograph of Amsterdam, likely in the late 19th century, using a process that was then relatively new but rapidly transforming visual culture: photography. The image, sepia-toned, captures a dense cityscape viewed from above, offering a panorama of rooftops and buildings, a novel perspective at the time. Photography's advent democratized image-making, shifting it from the hands of skilled painters to a mechanical and chemical process, reproducible and relatively accessible. Rooswinkel’s choice of photography places this work at the intersection of art, technology, and commerce. The photograph's inherent reproducibility allowed for broader distribution and consumption, aligning it with emerging capitalist modes of production. Unlike unique handmade artworks, photographs could be mass-produced, catering to a growing market for images. Understanding this photograph means recognizing the shift in image-making brought about by technology, and the implications of this for labor, access, and the very definition of art.