Schip aan een kade before 1894

Hendrik Herman van den Berg’s photograph presents a ship alongside a quay, rendered through the chemical processes of early photography. The monochromatic palette, dictated by the technology of the time, invites us to consider the material nature of the image itself. Note that the texture of the print, its tonal range and the level of detail are all constrained by the technology available to Van den Berg. Photography was emerging as a powerful tool, yet its reliance on darkroom practice meant that it was also connected to histories of craft and skill. The very act of capturing the scene involved human expertise and control, and the manipulation of materials, which in turn influenced the aesthetic outcome. Seen in this light, the photograph becomes more than a mere depiction. It’s a potent record of its own making, and a reflection of the cultural and technological context that made it possible. It asks us to consider photography not just as a medium of representation, but as a crafted object with a rich and significant history of its own.