Gezicht op een molen en de spoorbrug over de Oude Maas bij Dordrecht 1873 - 1890

This stereocard, made by Jules Hippolyte Quéval, presents us with a fascinating intersection of industry and tradition. It's made using albumen print, a photographic process that involves coating paper with egg white to create a glossy surface for the image. The choice of albumen print is interesting. Photography was becoming increasingly industrialized at this time, yet this method retains a handcrafted feel, fitting for the picturesque scene it captures. We see a windmill, a symbol of traditional Dutch industry, juxtaposed with a modern railway bridge. The windmill's form speaks to centuries of engineering and material knowledge, while the bridge represents the forward march of technology. The photograph is also a mass-produced object, sold as a souvenir. In considering this image, we are encouraged to look at the complex relationship between the past and the present, and the ways in which industrialization was reshaping the landscape and culture of the Netherlands.