Gezicht op de Calle de Toledo in Madrid c. 1880 - 1890

Juan Laurent captured this albumen print titled "Gezicht op de Calle de Toledo in Madrid," offering us a glimpse into 19th-century Spain. Laurent, a Frenchman working in Spain, documented its cities during a period of significant social and political change. This image presents a wide street bustling with commerce. Market stalls line the sides of the street, with a horse-drawn streetcar making its way through. Spain, like much of Europe, was undergoing industrialization, and photography played a role in documenting and promoting this progress. But who benefitted? Who were the working people barely visible here? Laurent’s photograph presents a narrative of modernization, yet it also freezes a specific moment in time, inviting us to reflect on the experiences of those who lived through it. How did industrial progress affect everyday people? How did it shift the relationship between commerce, labor, and public life?