Hotel in Chamonix, Frankrijk c. 1887 - 1900

This photograph of a hotel in Chamonix, France, was captured by Étienne Neurdein using a process involving light-sensitive chemicals on paper. The albumen print gives the image a distinctive sepia tone and smooth surface. This photographic technique, popular in the mid-19th century, involved coating paper with albumen from egg whites, then sensitizing it with silver nitrate. The process demanded meticulous labor, from preparing the paper to carefully controlling the exposure and development. Consider the work involved in setting up the shot. The photographer had to transport bulky equipment to this remote location. The very existence of this hotel and the photograph itself speaks to the rise of tourism and leisure, industries fueled by the labor of countless individuals. Neurdein’s photograph invites us to consider how technology intersects with labor and leisure, blurring the lines between art, industry, and the everyday experience of a changing world.