Grote populier naast de Hofjägerallee in de Großer Tiergarten, Berlijn 1868 - 1870

This stereoscopic image was produced by Johann Friedrich Stiehm, using photographic means. The two nearly identical images, when viewed through a special device, would have given the viewer an immersive three-dimensional experience of the scene. It shows a road in Großer Tiergarten, Berlin, lined with tall trees, and a horse-drawn carriage in the distance. But it's not just the scene that's interesting, it's also the way it was captured. Photography at this time was a complex process, involving the careful preparation of glass plates coated with light-sensitive emulsions. The photographer had to be skilled in chemistry, optics, and composition. The stereoscopic format, popular in the late 19th century, speaks to a desire for realism and immersion. It also reflects the growing accessibility of photography as a medium, as new industrial processes were used to print photographs on a mass scale. Paying attention to materials and processes, as in this photograph, enriches our understanding of visual culture. It reminds us that making is always a socially embedded practice.