Herder en kudde before 1899

Jean-Ferdinand Coste made this photograph, "Herder en kudde," at an unknown date, using photographic materials that were becoming more accessible at the turn of the 20th century. The sepia tones create a nostalgic, soft focus, evoking a romanticized vision of rural life. It’s easy to overlook the labor involved in shepherding. This work, made possible by industrial advancements in photography, presents us with a curated image that both acknowledges and obscures the realities of agricultural work. The photographic process itself mirrors the act of preservation; a moment captured and held. Yet, unlike a painting painstakingly rendered by hand, photography offers a mechanical reproduction, a seemingly objective truth shaped by the photographer's choices. Coste's work invites us to consider the layers of mediation between the subject and our perception, and the social context framing the way we view labor and landscape.