Gezicht op het stadhuis en de Grote of Sint-Stephanuskerk te Hasselt 1895

This photograph shows a view of the town hall and the Grote of Sint-Stephanuskerk in Hasselt. It was made with photographic processes that would have been somewhat novel at the time. Photographs like this one were primarily utilitarian. They were not necessarily considered art. The image has a texture, weight, and form that are all tied to the wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. It is documentary in nature, but it also suggests the increasing availability of photographic materials and the labor required to produce such an image. It suggests a desire to capture and preserve aspects of the world through photographic means. It represents a shift in how we perceive and interact with our surroundings. By considering materials, making, and context, we recognize its full meaning, which challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.