Groepsfoto van een klas van de Openbare Handelsschool bij het Koninginnedok op de ADM-werf in Amsterdam 1889 - 1893

Willem Frederik Piek Jr. captured this class photograph at the ADM-werf in Amsterdam. It's a gelatin silver print, a process that, by the late 19th century, had become the dominant mode for photographic reproduction. The gelatin silver process involved coating paper with a light-sensitive emulsion of silver halides in gelatin. This allowed for sharper images and easier printing than earlier methods. But the real trick of this image, beyond the materials, is its social context. Consider the setting, a bustling shipyard, and the subjects, students of trade. This image speaks volumes about the Netherlands' industrial ambitions at the time. Photography, itself an industrializing medium, perfectly captures the spirit of progress and commerce. We see not just a class, but a future workforce, trained and ready to contribute to the nation's economic engine. So, next time you encounter a photograph, remember that it's not just an image, but a product of material processes and social conditions, blurring the lines between art, craft, and industry.