Binnenplaats van de oostvleugel van de universiteit van Glasgow before 1891

This photograph of the Binnenplaats of the east wing of the University of Glasgow was created by an anonymous photographer, likely during the late 19th or early 20th century. It's a modest image, rendered in tones of grey and sepia, and presented within the pages of what appears to be an album. What I find compelling about this image is how it captures not only the architecture of the university, but also the very ethos of the age. The photograph, a relatively new technology at the time, mirrors the industrial processes shaping society. Consider the labor involved in producing photographic materials, and the act of creating an image from life through complex chemical processes. The photograph's cool detachment aligns with the spirit of scientific inquiry and the burgeoning industrial era. The emphasis on precision and the replication of reality reflect a desire to catalogue and understand the world. It makes us think about how technology shapes our perception and our understanding of both art and labor.