Interior of the (Russian) Barrack Battery, Showing Mantelets 1855

This photograph, "Interior of the (Russian) Barrack Battery, Showing Mantelets," was taken by James Robertson, though the precise date is unknown. It's a fascinating document of the Crimean War, not just for what it depicts, but for the materials and labor it implies. Look closely at the fortifications. They're made from woven wattle and earth – vernacular materials, hastily assembled. These aren't the materials of high art, but those of basic survival. The "mantelets," or protective shields, are particularly interesting. Woven with tremendous effort, they speak to the human investment in warfare, a kind of desperate craft. Consider the labor involved in constructing these defenses, the hands that gathered, wove, and built. Robertson’s photograph elevates these overlooked aspects, prompting us to reflect on the relationship between conflict, material resources, and human exertion. It challenges us to see the artistry in the everyday and utilitarian, even in the grim context of war.