Gezicht op een kade in Parijs met een markt, mogelijk de Quai de l'Hôtel de ville 1850 - 1880

Adolphe Block created this stereoscopic photograph, “View of a Quay in Paris with a Market,” using a camera and darkroom techniques in the 19th century. Photography, though sometimes considered "fine art," really comes down to industrial chemistry and optics. In this case, the artist would have understood that the way light hits the chemically prepared glass plate could be controlled to create an exposure. To print the image, they would have worked in reverse: using light to transfer the image from the negative to the photographic paper. The final result of this image shows a bustling market scene along a quay, with vendors and shoppers captured in a moment of everyday commerce. Stereoscopic photography gave depth to an image, providing an immersive viewing experience. Mass produced for popular consumption, these photographs democratized art, making it accessible to a wider audience. This photograph captures a moment in time and also reflects the material processes and social context of its creation.