Propyleeën op de akropolis van Athene before 1910

Frédéric Boissonnas made this photographic print of the Propylaea on the Acropolis of Athens sometime in the early 20th century. It’s a powerful image, made by a process that was still relatively new at the time. Boissonnas was part of a family dynasty of photographers based in Geneva, and traveled widely. He produced many images of Greece in particular. Photography, of course, is always deeply linked to the moment of its making, both the physical capturing of the image, and the economic conditions that support such an endeavor. Consider the labor involved: not only the photographer’s skill, but also the industrial production of the photographic materials, the darkroom work, and the ultimate distribution of the image through printing. This image of an ancient site thus becomes a very modern artifact. It collapses time, bringing the ancient world into the present through industrial means.