Gezicht op het terras van hotel Maywald in Kleef c. 1870 - 1890

Curator: Here we have a photograph, likely from between 1870 and 1890, titled “Gezicht op het terras van hotel Maywald in Kleef,” or “View of the terrace of the Maywald Hotel in Kleve,” created by Max Cosman. Editor: Oh, it’s lovely, isn't it? Sepia-toned serenity. It makes me feel like I’m stepping back into a hushed, almost forgotten moment in time. Curator: Precisely! And that serenity is constructed through a very deliberate process. Note how the architecture—that impressive glass-walled terrace—almost dominates the composition, signifying the rise of leisure and tourism as industries, linked of course to the development of infrastructure. Editor: Absolutely! But the people, so formally arranged at those tables, feel both part of, and separate from, that structure. It's like they’re inhabiting a beautifully designed cage. Are they prisoners of their own leisure? Curator: That tension is, I think, inherent in the image. Photography at this time, unlike painting, offered this somewhat unmediated, "truthful" capture of reality. The clothing, the activities, even the architectural choices reflect specific social norms and the performative aspects of bourgeois life. The proliferation of hotels, specifically, offered stages on which to enact this lifestyle. Editor: It’s striking how that big tree on the right kind of frames the scene. Nature, architecture, and humanity all vying for attention, rendered in shades of brown. I’m imagining the photographer fiddling with their equipment, trying to get the exposure just right. All the anticipation that went into producing a simple moment of stillness. Curator: And those moments are rarely simple. Cosman, through the use of albumen print, a popular method in the 19th century known for its detail, has provided a glimpse into the material conditions that enabled a particular lifestyle to flourish. This isn't just a pretty picture; it's a document of socio-economic and technological development. Editor: Yes, perhaps so. Still, it does let me daydream for a second about travelling back to this quiet terrace for a gin and tonic... even though I would be likely relegated to watching it from afar! Curator: A fitting testament to its evocative power then! Editor: Indeed! A toast to Max Cosman and his carefully considered terrace.