Specimens of continental bridges before 1890

This collection of photographic prints showcases several “specimens of continental bridges” in Germany. Though created by an anonymous artist, the album page reflects a key moment in the history of industrialization. The bridges shown here were marvels of engineering, made possible by the large-scale extraction of iron ore, its transformation into steel, and the labor of countless workers, both skilled and unskilled. Consider the weight of the materials involved, their inherent qualities of substance, texture, and form. Steel enabled architects to create seemingly impossible spans, connecting cities and facilitating trade. Photography was used to document these industrial achievements, capturing the scale and grandeur of the bridges. It also provided an opportunity to reproduce and disseminate them, creating a visual record of progress. This intersection of materials, making, and context challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, inviting us to consider the broader social and economic forces that shaped these marvels of engineering.