Gezicht op een weeshuis in Antwerpen, België before 1893

Here's a photograph by Römmler & Jonas, depicting an orphanage in Antwerp, Belgium. The image is a high-contrast print, likely made using a process that allowed for the mass reproduction of images. This would have involved a mechanized process. Think about the context: photography was becoming increasingly accessible, yet the subject here is a building dedicated to caring for society's most vulnerable. The orphanage itself, with its imposing architecture, speaks to a system of social welfare that is both charitable and institutional. The photograph captures the building's materiality: the brick, stone, and glass. The very act of photographing and distributing this image raises questions about labor, class, and the consumption of images. What does it mean to produce an image of an orphanage for public consumption? How does this reflect the values and priorities of the society that produced it? Paying attention to materials, making, and social context allows us to move beyond simply seeing a picture, and instead understanding the deeper layers of meaning embedded within it.