Gezicht op Eguisheim met de drie ruïnes before 1894

Charles Bernhoeft created this photographic print of Eguisheim, likely near the turn of the 20th century. Photography, as a process, democratized image making. It made visual representation far more accessible than traditional painting, which required considerable skill, time and expense. The sharp clarity of the photograph is thanks to the chemical process of development. It captures a specific moment in time, but also speaks to broader social dynamics. The image shows farmers at work in the fields alongside a horse-drawn carriage. There is a juxtaposition between manual labor and emerging forms of transportation. The photograph itself embodies this tension, a mechanical means of capturing a world still largely defined by agricultural practices. Bernhoeft's photograph reminds us that all images are made through specific processes, with inherent social and economic implications. It challenges the hierarchy between art and craft, prompting us to consider the labor and technology involved in both.