Gezicht op Dürnstein aan de Donau 1890 - 1910

This photographic postcard shows a view of Dürnstein on the Danube, and was made by Franz von Prandtstetter. The print is on a paper support, likely albumen, and the photographic process has deeply affected its appearance, giving it sepia tones. Photography was very significant in the industrial era, as it gave more people access to art and broadened the possibilities of portraiture. The rise of photography, however, came at the expense of traditional painters and portrait artists, who had to find a new place for themselves in the art world. Before photography, they would have been hired to paint these landscapes or family portraits. As a relatively cheap and widely available art medium, photography has also helped blur the boundaries between what we consider fine art and what we consider craft or design. In the end, it is the context that defines the work.