Gezicht op Pamplona aan de Arga 1904

This small photograph, ‘Gezicht op Pamplona aan de Arga’ showing a view of Pamplona on the Arga river, was captured by Delizy using a camera and darkroom. The sepia tones we see are the result of a chemical process, a carefully controlled interaction between light-sensitive materials and developing agents. The image-making process is critical here. Unlike a painting painstakingly built up brushstroke by brushstroke, photography has the capacity to capture a scene almost instantaneously. This made it an ideal medium for documentation and dissemination of information. Photography, with its reproducibility, aligns perfectly with the forces of industrial capitalism. The photograph’s apparent objectivity is deceptive, however. The photographer chooses the vantage point, the composition, and ultimately, what aspects of reality to freeze in time. Photography’s dual nature, both a product of technological advancement and a tool for shaping perception, makes it a compelling subject for consideration, challenging traditional notions of art.