Gezicht op Dondo before 1886

This print, "Gezicht op Dondo" or "View of Dondo," was created by José Augusto da Cunha Moraes using a photomechanical process. Here, the artist probably used a technology like photogravure, a process that allows photographic images to be etched onto a metal plate, which can then be printed on paper. The result is a subtle tonal range that gives the image depth. Photogravure was used for artistic and commercial reasons and it democratized the making of images, although it still needed industrialization and labor. While seemingly a straightforward landscape, this print speaks to the complex relationship between art, technology, and society. It invites us to consider the labor involved in creating and distributing images, and the economic forces that shape our perception of the world. By exploring the making and material of this print, we can move beyond the traditional boundaries of fine art and craft, and to new ways of understanding how it reflects the broader cultural and political landscape of its time.