Rookpluim na de ontploffing van een munitiefabriek in Oosterweel bij Antwerpen op 6 september 1889 Possibly 1885 - 1889

This photograph shows a plume of smoke after the explosion of a munitions factory in Oosterweel, near Antwerp, on September 6, 1889. The photographer, Ernest Huybrechts, captured this image using the collodion process, a 19th-century technique requiring meticulous preparation and immediate development. The photograph’s material presence – its monochrome tonality and paper substrate – influences our perception of the event. The collodion process, while capable of capturing fine detail, also imparts a certain softness, contrasting with the violence of the explosion. Huybrechts’s technique involved coating a glass plate with a light-sensitive emulsion, exposing it in the camera, and developing it immediately. This demanding procedure required not only technical skill but also an understanding of chemistry and optics. The photograph acts as a historical document, capturing a moment of industrial disaster. In doing so, it reflects the social and economic conditions of the late 19th century, marked by rapid industrialization and its attendant risks. By focusing on the making of the image itself, we can appreciate how photography serves not only as a record but also as a crafted representation of a complex event.