Elevated R.R. Bowery, N.Y. c. late 19th century

This stereograph, *Elevated R.R. Bowery, N.Y.*, was created by William M. Chase, though the exact date of its making remains unknown. The photograph is printed on cardstock, using an albumen print process to create two almost identical images, capturing the newly built elevated train line in New York City’s Bowery neighborhood. To make an albumen print, a paper base is coated with a layer of albumen, or egg white, mixed with salt, and then sensitized with silver nitrate. The negative is then placed on the paper and exposed to light. This process would have required time and skill. What stands out is the subject matter: the elevated railway itself. Its metallic structure – girders, tracks, and supports – dominates the composition. It’s a bold depiction of modernity, one made possible by the labor of countless workers who mined the ore, forged the steel, and constructed the railway itself. Considering the making alongside the image invites reflection on industrial progress and social change, effectively challenging any separation of art from craft.