“The daguerreotype is not an instrument one uses to draw nature, but a chemical and physical process that allows nature to depict itself.” Louis Daguerre

From the very beginning of photography, process was central. Photography was not only an artistic practice, but also an interplay of physics, optics, and chemistry. The first manuals of the 19th century were extensive scientific publications in which every step was described with precision.

This exhibition brings together a selection of historical manuals from the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on the analog development process and the photographer’s studio. In the 19th century, photographers working on location often had to bring a mobile darkroom, especially when using wet collodion processes on glass negatives. Prints were usually made by contact printing, meaning the image was the same size as the negative. Enlargements were technically complex and rare. This showcase features two exceptional 19th-century enlargements.

Exhibition at Sint Lucas Antwerpen Library, curated by Wouter Lambrechts

2 February – 20 March 2026
Monday–Friday: 9:30 am–4:30 pm
Sint Lucas Antwerp Library
Van Schoonbekestraat 143, Antwerp

Artists: Wouter Lambrechts