Onbekende Japanse vrouw schikt bloemen c. 1890 - 1895

This image by Kazumasa Ogawa captures a woman arranging flowers, made using a photographic printing process called collotype. Collotype is a laborious printing technique that involves coating a glass plate with light-sensitive gelatin, exposing it to a negative, and then using the hardened gelatin to transfer the image onto paper. What makes this image compelling is the confluence of different kinds of skill. The art of flower arrangement itself is front and center. This is paralleled by the craftsmanship involved in the making of the image, and then the artistry of Ogawa in his composition. Look closely and you'll find that this method gives the image a tactile depth, almost like a finely woven textile. Considering the time and labor invested, this image elevates the everyday into the realm of fine art. It invites us to appreciate the beauty of impermanent materials and understand the value of skilled work, challenging any rigid distinctions between craft and art.