Twaalf objecten, waaronder een Chinese wierrookbrander en Japanse vazen before 1875

This photograph by Ghémar Frères captures twelve distinct objects, including a Chinese incense burner and Japanese vases. It’s an albumen print, a process that involves coating paper with egg white to create a smooth surface for the photographic emulsion. Now, what’s most interesting here isn’t necessarily the objects themselves, but the act of their photographic reproduction. The image speaks volumes about the growing global trade and fascination with Asian craftsmanship during this period. The photograph flattens these three-dimensional objects, presenting them as specimens for study, or perhaps enticing commodities for collectors. Consider the labor involved: not only the skilled craftsmanship of the original objects, but also the photographer's work, and the many hands involved in the circulation and consumption of such images. It blurs the lines between documentation, artistry, and the burgeoning culture of consumerism. In the end, it reminds us that every image, like every object, carries with it a complex web of social and material relations.