Gezicht op het voormalige stadhuis van Wernigerode c. 1890 - 1895

This vintage photograph, taken by E. Rose, captures the former town hall of Wernigerode. The photograph itself is made through a meticulous chemical and mechanical process. But it is the building in the photograph that shows the work of a wide range of craftsmen and builders. Notice the heavy timber beams, cut and joined to create the frame of the building, and the infill panels, which have likely been created with wattle and daub or brickwork. The timber work creates a striking pattern, almost like a textile, and its dark color and rough texture contrasts with the smooth panels. The design and the way of building would have been dictated by local traditions. There's a powerful sense of place embedded in the construction, because the craftsmen and builders were working with materials and knowledge passed down through generations. Consider the photograph and the building not just as images but as material documents. The former reflects the history of photography, the latter reflects the vernacular building traditions and community effort in Wernigerode. Both remind us that objects can be a record of their own making and their place in the world.