Buste van Hercules before 1878

This is a photograph by Stephen Thompson of a Hercules bust, rendered in tones of grey. Photography, from its inception, has been deeply entwined with industrial production. Consider the materials involved: paper, glass, and various chemical compounds, all manufactured through complex industrial processes. The very act of capturing an image relies on the mass production and distribution of these materials. Thompson, as the photographer, becomes part of this network of labor, utilizing both technical skill and artistic vision. The final print represents the culmination of a series of actions, from the sourcing of materials to the physical development of the image in the darkroom. The photograph aestheticizes labor, in some sense reflecting on the Herculean labor that underpinned the production of the bust itself. Ultimately, this artwork challenges the distinction between fine art and craft by highlighting the materials, methods, and social context inherent in the creation of a photograph.