J.B. Aug. Kessler in de tuinkamer, op de tafel foto's en een beeld before 1900

This photograph was taken by Geldolph Adriaan Kessler, we don't know exactly when. It's a gelatin silver print, one of many that were made at the time. The photograph depicts J.B. Aug. Kessler standing in a garden room. The material qualities of this image are subdued, mostly black and white, with a narrow tonal range. This creates an intimate, almost dreamlike atmosphere, yet the scene itself is quite staged, with Kessler shaking the hand of a sculpture. Photography, of course, is a mass production medium, but in this image, Kessler is actually photographing objects of craft: the cast sculptures, hand-wrought iron table, and even the leafy potted plants. These were all likely made by different hands, in different places, brought together in this single place to be enjoyed. Considering the material aspects, processes, and social context of artwork such as this, we move beyond traditional distinctions between fine art, craft, and the industrial revolution.