Gezicht op de kloof bij Metz waar de Slag bij Gravelotte in 1870 plaats vond before 1875

This photograph, showing the Metz gorge where the Battle of Gravelotte took place in 1870, was created by C. Holt. It’s an albumen print, a process that involves coating paper with egg white to create a smooth surface for the photographic emulsion. The inherent qualities of the albumen print – its sepia tones, its capacity for capturing fine detail – lend the image a sense of historical distance, almost like a faded memory. To make it, a glass negative was placed in contact with the prepared paper, then exposed to light, fixing the image. The process was popular during this period because it allowed for mass reproduction, meeting the demands of a growing market for visual documentation. The meticulous labor involved – from preparing the paper to carefully controlling the exposure – speaks to the burgeoning industry of photography during the late 19th century. The photograph, once a luxury, became increasingly accessible, reflecting the era's shifts in technology, labor, and consumption. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images are deeply enmeshed with the economic and social conditions of their time.