Gezicht op Kasteel Cannenburgh te Vaassen 1890 - 1920

This gelatin silver print showing Kasteel Cannenburgh in Vaassen was produced by an anonymous photographer working for Monumentenzorg. The choice of gelatin silver is significant. Monumentenzorg – the Dutch agency for the preservation of historical monuments – likely chose this photographic process for its relative stability and capacity to capture detail. The shades of gray emphasize the mass and density of the castle's brick construction, and the reflections in the surrounding moat. Consider the labor embedded in this image. Not just the photographer’s skill, but the hands that laid each brick, forged the ironwork, and maintained the grounds of the Cannenburgh over centuries. Photography allows for the democratized distribution of images, whereas paintings were commissioned by wealthy patrons and available to view only by a few people. By focusing on the material and social context, we can appreciate the photograph not just as a record, but as a document of cultural preservation, labor, and representation.