Steengroeve bij Kardassy before 1862

This photograph, taken by Francis Frith, presents a stereoscopic view of the stone quarries near Kardassy. The structure of the image is immediately striking: the symmetry afforded by the stereoscopic format creates a doubled visual field. Captured within a book, the muted tones of the photograph invite a formal reading that considers how the image transforms the physical landscape into a study of texture, light, and form. The rough, hewn surfaces of the quarry walls contrast with the smooth, blank pages that contain it. This juxtaposition highlights the act of framing – both within the photograph and by the book itself. The photograph invites us to consider how Frith’s work engages with the very materiality of photography itself. The image offers a cultural discourse around documentation, preservation, and the aestheticization of historical sites.