Gezicht op de rede van Rio de Janeiro 1890 - 1910

This photograph, taken by Marc Ferrez, shows Rio de Janeiro's harbor. It's a gelatin silver print, a process that was at the forefront of photographic technology at the time. The image captures the city's architecture and bustling harbor. The tonal range achieved through the gelatin silver process gives the image a remarkable depth. The process, involving coating paper with light-sensitive emulsion, was a marked shift from earlier, more cumbersome methods. It allowed for mass production and a higher level of detail, transforming photography from a niche practice to a widely accessible medium. Ferrez's choice of this process underscores photography's entanglement with industry. The gelatin silver print represents the democratizing potential of photography, it reflects the rise of consumer culture and the ability to capture and disseminate images on a large scale, documenting social, political, and economic change. The print's material and making are integral to understanding its role as both a work of art and a cultural artifact.