Laan met spoorlijn in Saint-Tropez 1899

This is a photograph by Delizy, titled Laan met spoorlijn in Saint-Tropez. Its sepia tone comes from the chemical process used in early photography, which depended on light-sensitive emulsions. The material qualities here – the paper texture, the tonal range, the very fixity of the image – all result from a complex interplay of handcraft and industrial production. The photographer frames the shot, arranges the exposure, develops the print. But these actions are all performed in concert with the technological apparatus of the camera and darkroom. We can also consider the social context of photography. It democratized portraiture and landscape views, making images widely accessible in a way that painting never could. This print therefore represents a fascinating collision of artistic intention, chemical process, and the wider forces of industrialization. It suggests that all visual media is in some sense ‘made’ and that the means of production always matters.