glasnegatief c. 1895 - 1925

This glass negative, made by W.G. Hondius van den Broek, showcases an early photographic process that was as much about craft as it was about chemistry. The image we see here is a direct result of a meticulous procedure. First, a glass plate would have been carefully coated with a light-sensitive emulsion. Then, the image captured by the camera’s lens would have chemically altered this coating, with areas exposed to more light becoming denser. The resulting negative was then used to create positive prints on paper. Consider the skilled labor involved in preparing the plates, setting up the shot, developing the negative, and finally, making the print. While photography democratized image-making to some extent, it also created new forms of skilled work. Images like these blur the lines between fine art, craft, and industrial production, and are vital for understanding visual culture.