Untitled 1875 - 1899

This stereograph card presents a pair of albumen silver prints, a popular photographic process in the 19th century. To make these prints, paper was coated with albumen, or egg white, creating a glossy surface receptive to light-sensitive silver compounds. The negative was then placed on the prepared paper and exposed to light, resulting in a detailed, sepia-toned image. This process, while capable of capturing intricate detail, was labor-intensive, demanding skill and precision in each step from coating the paper to developing the final print. The popularity of albumen prints coincided with the rise of photography as a form of mass media and personal documentation. The mass-produced stereograph cards offered middle-class consumers an affordable means of owning images, documenting their lives, and experiencing a sense of connection to a wider world. As such, these cards are a testament to the democratization of image-making, and the rise of a visual culture that continues to shape our world today.