Gezicht op het orgel van Sint-Bavokerk in Haarlem

This is a photograph of the organ of Sint-Bavokerk in Haarlem. It was made by an anonymous artist, and preserved by the Rijksmuseum. This print captures a moment in the history of photography when the medium was being used to document cultural treasures, like this awe-inspiring organ. Look at the level of detail, and consider the labor involved, not just in constructing the organ itself, but in the photographic process. Each print required a skilled photographer and darkroom technician, and all the resources of industrial capitalism. We can consider the materiality of the photograph itself: the paper, the ink, the chemical processes that have fixed the image. This connects the image to the complex social context of its making. Photography was, and still is, a product of both art and industry. By considering these factors, we can better understand the full meaning of the artwork, and challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.