Interieur met spiegel, vogelkooi en planten c. 1865 - 1900

This intriguing image, "Interieur met spiegel, vogelkooi en planten" was made by Laurens Lodewijk Kleijn sometime in the 19th century, using photographic methods. The picture is a window into a bourgeois world; the plants, mirror, and birdcage indicating a cultivated domestic space, viewed through the new technology of photography. This was a craft that combined science and artistry, with a long and complex process that started with coating a glass plate with light-sensitive chemicals. The material reality of early photography is important. The final image is a result of meticulous work in the darkroom, manipulating light and chemicals to capture the scene. This process, though now largely automated, was then a labor-intensive activity. Early photography democratized image-making, allowing a wider audience access to portraiture and visual documentation, however, we must remember the labor involved. Thinking about the image, we realize that this is about more than what is represented; it's about the transformation of seeing and the labor of image production. Recognizing the craft involved expands our appreciation of the final result.