Gezicht op de Vallei van Sorek c. 1870 - 1875

Horatio Herbert Kitchener made this photographic print, "Gezicht op de Vallei van Sorek," using a method that was cutting-edge at the time but now feels historical. Photography in the 19th century involved a complex, alchemical process. Light-sensitive materials were carefully prepared and exposed, then developed using chemical baths to reveal the image. The sepia tones and soft focus of this print are characteristic of the era, lending a sense of romanticism to the landscape. But it's important to remember that this wasn't just about aesthetics. Photography was also a tool of documentation and control, used by colonial powers to map and survey territories, and to create visual records of their expanding empires. It is worth considering the immense amount of time and resources that went into producing a single photograph. It encourages us to think critically about the power dynamics inherent in image-making. It reminds us that even seemingly objective representations of the world are always shaped by the materials, processes, and social contexts in which they are created.