Militaire eer, bewezen door militairen van alle Corpsen aan Wilhelmina, daags voor haar inhuldiging als koningin, bij het Paleis op de Dam, Amsterdam Possibly 1898

Sigmund Löw captured this photograph of Queen Wilhelmina's inauguration in Amsterdam, using the wet collodion process, a popular method in the late 19th century. This technique involved coating a glass plate with chemicals, exposing it in the camera while still wet, and then developing it immediately. The resulting image, rendered in shades of brown, offers a sharp, detailed view of the military parade. The tonal range is influenced by the light-sensitive materials and the careful balancing act between exposure time and chemical reactions. The process demanded technical skill and precision, highlighting the photographer's expertise in manipulating both chemistry and optics. Consider this image not just as a record of a historical event, but as a result of specific labor, skill, and material processes. Löw's artistry lies not only in his composition, but in his mastery of the photographic process itself.